


To Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour

by JollySquid_27



Series: To Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour [1]
Category: Wynonna Earp - Fandom
Genre: AU-highschool/college, Alternate Universe - After College/University, Eventual Smut, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Smut, Unrequited Love, Wayhaught - Freeform, Wynonna Earp & Nicole Haught Friendship, but then it is
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-30
Packaged: 2019-06-26 05:32:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15656778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JollySquid_27/pseuds/JollySquid_27
Summary: Part 1. Nicole and Waverly have pretty much known each other their whole life. As they reach high school Nicole and Waverly realize their feelings are a lot more than they thought. As they explore these fillings the run into a series of obstacles that leave them feeling heartbroken.Part 2. After WayHaught has established their relationship they find themselves in the midst of unexpected danger following a secret trip to a friends cabin. One finds themselves in danger and it's up to the other to come to the rescue but first, they have to overcome their own obstacles.





	1. I Wanted to be With You Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly shows up at Nicole's house in the morning before school. Waverly has something unexpected to ask of Nicole on the way there.

“Nicole!” Mrs. Haught yelled from downstairs.

Nicole was standing in the mirror watching her reflection as she aggressively brushed her teeth. Her mind was distracted. There was 13 weeks until summer and Nicole was counting down every one of them. Softball was almost over but she just knew she was going to beat Samantha Baker’s batting record before the season was over. After graduating from Purgatory High, she was planning on going into the police academy, pending she gets accepted. Nedley said he would put in a good word for her. Nicole couldn’t wait, just 13 more weeks until freedom.

“Nicole, I swear to god!” Nicole quickly swished some water in her mouth and spat it out haphazardly dotting small drips of peppermint toothpaste all a crossed the mirror.

“I am coming!” she growled slipping her backpack over her shoulder then came barreling down the stairs loudly.

“Waverly’s waiting for you in the living room.” Mrs. Haught said rummaging through her work bag while standing in the entry to the kitchen. “Here’s money for lunch today. I didn’t have time to pack it.” She slapped $10 into Nicole’s hand.

Nicole’s heart palpated in her chest “Earp…Waverly Earp?” she squeaked.

Mrs. Haught craned her neck annoyed. “Yes, do you know another Waverly?” Nicole looked down at her shoes and then at the $10 bill wadded in her hand. “Go, hurry!” her mom shewed “I need you to take me to work today.”

“But…” Nicole groaned.

“I’m sorry baby, but dad took my car to the shop for a tune-up.” She gave Nicole one last impatient look.

“Okay.” Nicole half ran to the living room to great Waverly. She skidded to a halt in the entryway at the site of her standing there. Waverly was holding Nicole’s filled out Police academy application looking at it curiously. The addressed manila envelope that it belonged in laid over her mom’s crystal coasters on the coffee table. Nicole’s eyes fell to the floor focusing on Waverly’s Doc Martens, brown worn in leather with the laces tied in sloppy bows. She shifted her eyes up Waverly’s bare legs pausing mid-thigh on the hem of her black romper hanging loosely over her body. It was belted in the middle with a thin black fabric rope giving it shape. The top hung low on her shoulders exposing her collarbone and it dipped down her chest without revealing too much. The soft brown waves of her hair were pulled to one side cascading over her shoulder. Her ensemble was complete with a gold ring suspended on a long chain that hung just below her breasts.

Nicole had found that ring in her grandparents' backyard when she was 7. Her grandpa had told her it was pirates’ treasure. It was really just his wedding band he claimed to have ‘lost’ while mowing the lawn. None the less Nicole carried it around with her. She had the ring in her back pocket during her last T-ball game in the first grade. She hit every ball perfectly and even scored 3 home runs. From then on, she was certain it was lucky and had it with her during every game after. That was until Nicole gave the ring to Waverly 8 years later. Waverly was upset after Wynonna was put into the juvenile court system for the first time. Nicole thought maybe the ring would bring her luck too.

Nicole smiled at the sight of her wearing it.

“You really are applying, aren’t you?” Waverly said looking up from the application form.

Nicole nodded “Uh…Yeah, I really am” She said confidently standing up straighter.

“Good. You should.” Waverly smiled setting the forms back on the coffee table carefully.

Nicole kicked her feet around on the floor making small scuffing noises and didn’t notice Waverly approaching. She felt Waverly’s hand move up her arm and slide through her hair gently pulling until they made eye contact.

“You’ll be good at.” Waverly said, “You always know the right thing to do Nicole.” Nicole melted into Waverly’s hand wanting to pull her into a kiss, but she tucked her hands into the pockets of her skinny jeans instead. Waverly slid her hands down to Nicole’s chest resting over the logo of her Purgatory High Baseball Tee, the one with the blue 3/4 length sleeves.

“This is a cool shirt.” Waverly said tracing the lettering with one finger. The gesture made Nicole’s heart race into her throat and she felt like she couldn’t swallow.

“Are we ready?” Mrs. Haught said impatiently walking into the room her heals clapping loudly against the wood floors. Waverly and Nicole both jumped. Nicole nearly falling back into the lamp behind her relieved that the tension between them was cut.

“…Jah…uh…I mean yeah.” Nicole stammered. Mrs. Haught wore a look of confusion that shifted from Nicole to Waverly who was staring down at her feet swaying uncomfortably.

“What are you two high?” She said jokingly. Nicole shook her head trying not to make eye contact with either of them.

“We’re going to be late.” She said blowing past her mom and out the door.

 

After Nicole dropped her mom off at the Purgatory Health Service office, Waverly climbed between the seats of Nicole’s 1986 Honda Accord hatchback to get into the front next to Nicole.

“Where’s Wynonna?” Nicole asked while Waverly clicked her seatbelt in place.

“She’s sick.” Waverly said using air quotations. That was code for hungover or skipping school with Doc or both. “I stayed over at Chrissy’s house last night, so I thought I’d just walk over to you.” The Nedley’s lived down the street from Nicole. Nicole walked down there all the time in the summer because the Nedley’s had a pool. It was a blow-up pool. Not the sunk in kind. Sheriff Nedley couldn’t afford that on a Sheriffs salary in Purgatory but it was deep enough for Nicole to fully submerge herself in all the same.

“Ah.” Nicole said not surprised. Once they were back on the highway Nicole noticed Waverly’s head was bobbing around straining to look out the windows. “Uh, whatcha doing there Waves?” Nicole asked looking at her through side glances. Waverly didn’t respond. She just continued looking out the windows pushing herself up off the seat with her hands and biting her lip in concentration.

“Here! Pull over here!” She finally shouted

“What! Waves we are going to be late to school!” Nicole said startled, “besides we are practically in the middle of nowhere.” Waverly turned to her with an unfamiliar look in her eye and slid her hand over Nicole’s thigh. Nicole's leg felt weak and released the gas pedal involuntarily. She had to refrain from slamming on the breaks as the car swerved a little before she could correct it. Taking a deep breath, Nicole steadied herself and then reluctantly pulled over. There was not a lot in between Homestead court and Downtown Purgatory. Just a long stretch of highway lined with trees and open fields. Nicole had pulled over on an unfinished gravel road that was nestled in between a thick wall of trees, hidden just enough from the main road that you could hardly see a car there at all.

Nicole couldn’t bring herself to look at Waverly while her hand remained on her thigh the weight burning a hole in it. She could feel Waverly’s eyes on her, but she was frozen sitting with her elbow propped up on the window chewing on her thumbnail. “Waverly, why are we stopped?” She asked.

“Nicole.” Is all Waverly said.

“We could have gotten in an accident. You can’t just start yelling and… _stuff_ while people are driving.” She said waving her hand.

“Nicole _look_ at me.” Waverly gave Nicole’s thigh a gentle squeeze only making things worse. She shook her head feeling stupid. The thing she wanted most in this world was sitting right next to her and she couldn’t look at her. Waverly hooked her fingers under Nicole’s chin and pulled it until she was facing her

“Please?” Nicole’s looked over at Waverly who was pivoted in her seat bitting her lip. She tried avoiding Waverly’s mesmerizing hazel green eyes but ultimately succumbed to their beauty.

“Waves…” Nicole sighed. She shook her head again afraid to say the wrong thing and even more afraid to say the right thing. Waverly’s fingers traced over Nicole’s bottom lip before cupping them around her jaw. Nicole gulped. Waverly shifted in her seat, the leather center console creaked beneath her as she balanced over it. She clicked the seatbelt releasing it followed by the sound of the metal buckle smacking the passenger side door.

Nicole’s eyes closed involuntarily from the heat of Waverly’s lingering touch. She could smell the sweetness of her perfume perfectly mixed with her natural scent. Waverly’s lips were so close to hers but not yet touching, just close enough to feel Waverly’s hot breath caressing her cheeks and her mouth. Nicole’s pulse was thumping hard in ears and her breathing was almost none existent. It was nearly unbearable to feel Waverly so close with her tangled fingers in her hair pulling her even closer.

It felt like an eternity before Waverly’s soft lips finally grazed against hers sending waves of electricity through her body. Nicole exhaled all the built-up tension anticipating Waverly’s kiss. She had fantasized a lot about what it might feel like to kiss Waverly Earp but none of her fantasies compared to this. Not even close. Waverly hovered momentarily biting her own lip before she kissed her again. Each kiss getting a little harder until she was sucking Nicole’s lips into her mouth. Nicole’s heart hammered in her chest excitedly. Waverly climbed over the center console and into Nicole’s lap pinning herself between Nicole and the steering wheel. She ran her hands through Nicole’s hair wildly whimpering when Nicole slipped her tongue past her lips and into her mouth. Nicole found her hands gliding up Waverly’s legs her fingers grazing the hem of her romper daring to go a little further with each shaky stroke. Her hands had just about disappeared under the fabric before they both jumped at the alarming squeal of Nicole’s car horn that Waverly had backed into.

Waverly shifted her weight off the horn and rest her head on Nicole’s left shoulder giggling softly into her neck. She was sure Waverly could feel her heart still racing. Nicole happily cradled her in her arms until they were both nearly asleep. She opened her eyes when she remembered where they were supposed to be going.

“We have to get to school.” Nicole whispered into the soft waves of Waverly’s hair following it with a gentle kiss.

“Right.” Waverly nodded. She gave one last ruffle to the back of Nicole’s thick red hair before climbing back over the center console into her seat.


	2. Sincerely Yours, The Breakfast Club.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole finds herself in trouble when Wynonna gets them intentionally kicked out of class for a little adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *light drug use*  
> *Some profanity*  
> Some direct quotes or variations of quotes from the TV series.

 

  
Mr. Miller was drawing the stoichiometry map on the whiteboard. There was an exam this Friday and students were expected to know their conversions. Nicole sat with her eyes glued to her book taking notes in pencil along the margins, occasionally underlining a word or sentence, as her foot tapped to an imaginary beat under her desk.

“Psst….” Wynonna whispered tapping her finger on Nicole’s sleeve. Nicole ignored her.

“Hey, Haught.” She still didn’t respond. She felt the cold wet sensation of Wynonna’s finger giving her a wet willy.

“Ick! What?” Nicole whispered smacking Wynonna’s hand away from her ear.

“I have something I have something to tell you. It’s kind of a big deal.” She said mischievously.

Nicole turned in her seat to face her. She was cautious but curious. “Well, what is it?”

"Guess who has a crush on you?" Wynonna bit her lip with excitement.

Nicole felt her cheeks blush. "Who?"

"Well, I was talking to Beth..."

"Beth Gardner...as in my ex-girlfriend Beth."

"Yeah duh," Wynonna said. "And she said..."

"I don't need to hear what Beth Gardner said," Nicole frowned turning back in her seat. Nicole was a little bitter when it came to Beth. She wasn't head over heels for her but it still hurts when with your girlfriend breaks up with you the night before the Sadies Hawkins dance. 

"But Nicole!"

“Miss. Haught, Miss. Earp, do I need to separate you two?” Mr. Miller interjected. The girls shook their heads.

“Haught, I really have to tell you who it is right _now_.” Wynonna persisted.

“What do you want me to do about it? We’re in the middle of class. Just...tell me later.” Nicole whispered annoyed.

“Miss Haught and Miss Earp! Can you please step out into the hall and I will meet you there shortly.” Mr. Miller interrupted. Nicole sighed grabbing her things from her desk. She stood up and made her way out of the classroom with Wynonna close behind her. Everyone starred and some snickered under their breath. Nicole could feel heat rise up her neck and spread a crossed her cheeks with embarrassment.

“What is your problem?” Nicole demanded when they got out into the hall. “Why is it _so_..."

Wynonna interrupted "It's Shae!" Shae was one of the popular girls in school. She was tall, thin, and had beautiful black hair. She always smelt like cinnamon and walked like a runway model. The boys all wanted her. The girls all wanted to be her or be with her. Shae was smart too. Nicole could almost guarantee Shae would be valedictorian for her class. Nicole stood dumbstruck for a moment feeling a little flattered. "I'm not interested." She finally said shaking her head. "Of course you are. Everyone's interested." Nicole shook her. Wynonna giggled loudly. “Come on! Let’s go!”

“Whaat?”

“I just got us out of class dummy, now let’s go!” Wynonna grabbed Nicole’s shirt and dragged her down the hallway. They stopped at a maintenance entry door behind the stairs to the 2nd floor. Wynonna pulled the handle and the door pushed open revealing another set of stairs.

“Wynonna that goes down to the basement. What are we doing here?”  
Wynonna flicked her eyebrows and then clambered down the steps. Nicole followed hesitantly. At the bottom of the stairs, there was a large generator humming noisily. To the left of that, there was another door.

“Here.” Wynonna led Nicole through it where they were greeted with laughter and smoke. Mercedes was painting Eliza’s fingernails at a small table in the corner. Hetty and Quin were laughing loudly at one end of the couch and Jonas was sprawled out on the other half holding a joint in one and a wide smile a crossed his face. Shae sat on an adjacent smaller couch that was more of an oversized chair. Wynonna flopped down dramatically next to Jonas resting her head against his chest. Nicole just stood there feeling out of place. She had this sensation of impending doom creep up on her.

“Are you going to just stand there or are you going to sit down?” Jonas said smoke puffing out of his mouth with every word. He passed the joint to Eliza who took a long drag and let it out slowly.  
“Um…” Nicole hesitated half considering running out the door.

Wynonna discreetly pointed at Shae and mouthed. “Sit with Shae.”  
Nicole shook her head ‘no’ but Wynonna insisted, giving her a wink.

When Nicole still didn’t move she said, “Hey Shae, Nicole’s kind of shy, but could she, like, sit next to you.”

A smile spread a crossed Shae’s face as she slid over to one side of the couch making room for Nicole. “Yeah of course!”  
Nicole clenched her jaw and walked over to sit next to Shae on the freakishly small couch. Their legs were touching firmly, and Nicole had nowhere to place her arm other than draping it over the back of the couch. She turned and gave Wynonna a death glare.

“You’re welcome.” She mouthed.

“I hate you.” Nicole mouthed back.

“So, your dad owns the Pussy Willows, right?” Wynonna asked Jonas.

“Yeah, I could probably sneak you in some time.” Jonas said not even trying to hide that he was looking down the front of Wynonna’s shirt.  
Nicole rolled her eyes and tuned out the rest of that conversation. She felt Shae settle into her outstretched arm pressing her leg harder against Nicole’s. Nicole shifted uncomfortably with no space to escape.

“Do you have a date to the Purgatory Spring Fling dance yet Nicole?” Shae prodded.

“Uh…I haven’t really decided if I am going.” Nicole said awkwardly. She never really like dances or dancing for that matter, even before the whole Beth Gardner thing. 

“Oh, well you should go it will be fun.” Shae continued. “And if you’d _like_ we could go together.”  
Nicole looked down at her worn out black high-top Chuck Taylors trying to find a polite way to say ‘no’. The black fabric of her right shoe frayed as a hole formed by her big toe. Just above it is written in blue cursive said Waverly Earp with a little blue heart next to it. Waverly had written it there when Nicole first got the shoes. Waverly said they were too clean. Nicole was only half mad about it.

“I…”

Mercedes nudged Nicole in the back. “Here.” She said through a cloud of smoke. She handed Nicole the joint.

Nicole shook her head. “No thanks.”

“Come on Haught pants.” Wynonna groaned.  
Nicole shook her head firmly and passed the joint to Shae. She took the joint delicately to her mouth then passed it on to Wynonna before exhaling.

“So, what do you think?” Shae said to Nicole.

“About what?” Nicole asked.

“About the dance.” Shae said slowly. “about going with _me_?”

“Oh…I”

Wynonna leaned over Shae’s lap towards Nicole. “Haught?” she said and gestured her closer.

Nicole leaned in. “Yes, Wynonna?”  
Wynonna grabbed the back of Nicole’s head pulling her close enough that their lips almost touched before letting out a large breath of smoke right in Nicole’s mouth. Surprised Nicole breathed in the smoke accidentally before jerking her head back out of Wynonna’s grip.

“What the hell!” she said going into a coughing fit. Wynonna and Jonas just laughed.

“Loosen up my friend.” She winked. “Loosey-goosey.”

“What are you kids doing down here?” Jim, the maintenance guy, had come through the door balancing a large ladder over his shoulder.  
He stood there with a frown that foreshadowed definite upcoming consequences. Everyone froze and stared at him with open mouths. Quin stomping out the blunt on the linoleum, a tiny trail of smoke puffed from his shoe.  
The Jim shifted the weight of the ladder on his back as a drib of sweat rolled down his cheek. He pulled out a radio from his left pocket and held it to his mouth. “I’ve got some kids down here in the basement of corridor A…they are in possession of…he coughed _illegal_ drugs.”

Everyone was given lunch detention for the next two days, starting today, plus they called Nicole’s mom. The only reason they weren’t suspended was because Jonas’s dad owns Pussy Willows, which is Principle Starks favorite bar. That was a disturbing but fortunate fact.

 

After 2nd period Nicole slouched her shoulders and walked over to room 315 for detention. Wynonna was already there sitting in the front row.

“Haught!” She waved as if Nicole wouldn’t have been able to find her otherwise.  
Shae was in the back corner with Mercedes’s and Quin. She smiled up at Nicole. Nicole gave her the weakest of smiles and then reached for the chair next to Wynonna’s.

“No! Sit right there! We can’t sit next to each other in detention idiot.” Wynonna said through a chortle.

Nicole rolled her eyes and sat down two desks away from Wynonna. “Good, because I don’t want to sit next to you anyways.”

“Well that’s a Haught lie and you know it.”  
Jonas walked in and gave Wynonna a wink as he passed. She smiled big and swung her thick brown hair over her shoulder.

“I thought you were with Doc,” Nicole whispered.

“We didn’t promise anything to each other. No strings attached man.”

“There will be absolutely no talking or whispering for the next 30 minutes.” Grunted Mr. Mallick as he barreled into the room flopping down in his chair with a thud.  
Nicole jumped at the abrasiveness of his voice. Wynonna noticed and smiled. Wynonna was not unfamiliar with detention.

“Welcome to shut up and do what he says.” She said, “Sometimes we get donuts.”

There were no donuts this time and Nicole’s stomach was rattling. Her mom didn’t pack her lunch today and it was _too_ late to go buy something.  
Wynonna got up and grabbed some papers off Mr. Mallick’s desk.

“Wynonna,” Nicole whispered.

“What, he’s totally asleep.” She said shrugging her shoulders. “He always falls asleep.”  
The other students giggled from the back having their own private conversation. Wynonna sat down and began folding her pages into paper airplanes.

" So are you going to ask Shae to the dance?" Wynonna ask. She stuck her tongue between her teeth concentrating on making perfect folds. 

"Nope," Nicole said flatly.

"Dude! Why not. She's hot."

"Meh." Nicole looked up at the clock. Only 5 minutes had passed. How did Mr. Mallick fall asleep within 5 minutes? she wondered. "I'm not going to that stupid dance!"

"Yeah, you're right, dances are totally lame."

“Here, have a paper airplane.” She said throwing a poorly folded aircraft in Nicole’s direction. It curved in an arc before reaching her and landed somewhere by Mr. Mallick’s desk.

"Well it's not a very good one is it," Nicole said grumpily.

"Shut up!"

"Is Waverly going to the dance?" Nicole pried.

"I don't know." Wynonna shrugged. "I bet you anything that dweeb Champ asks her out. He's always got his beady little eyes on her. Starring at her with that big stupid grin of his." Nicole's fist clenched at the edge of the desk making her knuckles white.

"I don't see the appeal in that guy," Nicole said trying to play it cool.

"Yeah well, girls flock to him like whores to a brothel." She threw another airplane towards the ceiling. It was chopped down by one of the rotating blades of the ceiling fan. Wynonna grinned. "Except, whores get paid for it."

Nicole obsessively scraped her nail over the chipping veneer of the desk flinging small pieces to the floor. It seemed oddly satisfying. The sound it made, the feeling of it under her nail, watching the pieces fly away. By the time 30 minutes had passed she had made a nice little pile of shavings, a burial for all of Wynonna's failed airplanes. You’re welcome she thought smugly to no one.

Nicole booked it out of the classroom without giving Wynonna a chance to speak. She was practically running through the halls to get away from room 315, trying to forget that she was ever in that basement talking to Shae or anyone else. She was embarrassed to have been kicked out of chemistry and to have been in detention for the first time in her whole life. _Stupid Wynonna._

Nicole was so caught up in her thoughts hurrying down the hall that she didn’t notice Waverly right in front of her nearly running her over. Nicole caught her in her arms. Waverly let out a small startled squeak into Nicole’s shirt.

“Oh, I’m sorry Waves,” Nicole said holding her by her shoulders. Waverly was wearing her cheerleading uniform, clearly on her way to practice. Nicole straightened herself out releasing her grip on Waverly. Her eyes fixated on the pleats in Waverly’s navy skirt that ended mid-thigh and the soft sun-kissed skin peeking out between her waistband and the hem of her uniform top. Blue Devils written a crossed her chest in large light blue letters over a white diamond background.

“Where were you at lunch?” She asked running her fingers over her hair causing it to fall over to one side messily.

“Um…” Nicole squirmed trying to redirect her attention from Waverly’s bare legs and where they disappeared to. “detention…”

Waverly giggled “Where were you really?”

Nicole looked down at her feet shifting her weight uncomfortably.

“You’re not lying.” Waverly giggled again. “what did _you_ do?”

Nicole looked up at her with a pouted lip. She thought about Shae and the Spring Fling dance and suddenly felt guilty. “Well…”

“Wynonna,” Waverly said quietly, nodding her head.

Nicole nodded back letting Wynonna take full blame. Her stomach rumbled loudly. She grabbed it self-consciously as an attempt to keep it quiet.

“You’re hungry,” Waverly said concerned. “Here.”  
Waverly dug out a packet of skittles out of her bag and put them in Nicole’s hand.  
“It’s not really food but maybe it will help.”

Nicole looked down at the skittles her stomach roaring louder now. “Thanks, Waves.” She smiled.

Waverly grabbed Nicole’s empty hand rubbing her thumb over Nicole’s palm for a moment. Then she stood up on the tips of her toes and planted a small kiss on Nicole’s cheek “Of course.” and skipped away to cheerleading practice.

  
For a moment Nicole forgot all about her rumbling stomach.


	3. I Won't Fall in Love with Falling

Nicole laid in her bed looking up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling. Her father had helped her stick them up when she was in the fourth grade. They were arranged so that you could see Ursa Major and Ursa Minor amongst the sporadic arrangement of stars. She tapped her foot anxiously unable to sleep while her mind wondered between feeling angry at Wynonna for getting her thrown into detention and putting her in an awkward position with Shae, and Waverly handing her skittles in the hallway wearing her cheerleading uniform.

She let out a big frustrated sigh and rolled over on her side. Nicole had just closed her eyes when she was startled by a rattling at her window. She flipped over to see Waverly’s straddling the tree outside peaking at her through the glass. Nicole smiled as she clambered out of bed to open it.

“What are you doing here?” She whispered, “You’re in my tree.”

“I couldn’t sleep.” Waverly whispered back. Nicole looked over her shoulder to make sure her parents didn’t hear her down the hall.

“Did you walk here all the way from the McCready’s?” The McCready’s house was about a 20-minute walk from Nicole’s house. They lived just outside of the Homestead Ct Subdivision.

Waverly laughed. “Of course, not silly. Chrissy had a sleepover with a bunch of us girls. I snuck out.” She shrugged.

“Hang on,” Nicole said. She tip toed to her bedroom door and shut it quietly. She slipped on her tennis shoes, grabbed a ratty old sweater off the floor and threw it over her head, before climbing down out the window. Nicole sat almost nose to nose with Waverly on the tree branch that shook with the weight of them both.

“Hi,” Nicole said softly.

“Hey.” Waverly smiled.

Nicole fought the urge to wrap her arms around Waverly's waist. For a moment Nicole thought they might kiss. Waverly scooted back off the branch and lowered herself down the tree. Nicole followed. Nicole grabbed Waverly’s hand as they ran through the back yard taking a path that cut into the woods behind her house. The path led to a large pond lined with small docks for rowing boats and canoes. It was one of Nicole’s favorite spots at Homestead Ct to get a good view of the stars. Nicole led her to the dock her dad had built, and they walked all the way to end of it. It swayed under her feet with the gentle waves of the water. She laid down flat on her back, pulling Waverly down beside her. Above, the stars were clear and bright framed by the surrounding trees of the pond. Waverly laced her fingers into Nicole’s and settled in with a sigh.

“Do you see those 5 stars there, shaped like a W?” Nicole asked tracing it out with her finger in the air.

“There?” Waverly said uncertainly following the length of Nicole’s arm.

Nicole moved her head closer to Waverly’s so that their temples touched, and she could see Waverly’s line of sight better. She shifted her arm over to the middle point of the W. “There. Do you see it?”

Waverly nodded. “I think so.”

“That’s Cassiopeia.” She said. “You can always find it because it goes right through the Milky Way. It’s named after Queen Cassiopeia”

“Cool.” Waverly smiled nuzzling her nose into Nicole’s cheek. Nicole had always had a fascination with the stars. Her grandfather had given her an encyclopedia of constellations that she had practically memorized. 

"Why did you leave Chrissy's sleepover?" Nicole asked.

"I don't know. I just felt homesick I guess." Waverly said with a small shrugged.

"Did you call Gus or Wynona to come get you? 

Waverly gave Nicole's hand a squeeze. " I felt like I was homesick but for _you_. You feel like home too Nicole. "

Nicole's heart skipped a beat and she smiled. _You feel like home_ she repeated in her head. She continued pointing out different constellations as she found them naming each one off to Waverly until they were both tired. Waverly nuzzled harder into Nicole’s cheek cupping her hand around the other side of her face to hold her close. Nicole could hear her breathing soften as Waverly fell asleep Nicole not far behind her.

Nicole woke up with Waverly wrapped tightly around her body shivering. Her cold hands rest on Nicole’s chest freezing through her shirt. Nicole brushed her hand up Waverly’s chilled back gently rocking her awake. “Waves.” She said. “You’re freezing. Let’s get you somewhere warmer.”

Waverly looked up at her sleepily. “Okay.” Nicole helped Waverly stand. Waverly’s teeth were chattering, and she rubbed her forearms aggressively for warmth. Nicole stripped off her ratty sweater and helped Waverly put it on over her thin pink cotton pajama top. She then scooped Waverly up in her arms and carried her back through the wooded path to her house holding her warm against her body. Waverly wrapped her arm around Nicole nestled her cold nose into her neck. When they arrived at Nicole’s bedroom window Nicole let Waverly slide out of her arms to her feet supporting Waverly’s back until she was sturdy.

“Do you want me to drive you home Waves?” Nicole asked.

“No,” Waverly said.

“I could walk you back to Chrissy’s if you would like?” Waverly was standing closer. She pulled at the front of Nicole’s t-shirt.

“No.” she said softer. A chill went through Nicole’s body that wasn’t from the cold air.

She licked her lips nervously and asked, “Do you want to stay _here_?”

Waverly stood up on the tips of her toes with her arm around Nicole’s neck to pull her closer.

“ _Yes_.” She whispered into Nicole’s ear. Nicole’s heart tightened in her chest. The thought of Waverly in her bed wrapped in her blankets and Waverly's soft flowing hair draped over her pillows, sent heat up and down her legs making them feel weak. Straddling the tree branch, Nicole struggled to raise the window with shaking hands. It finally jerked up with a loud squeak that she hoped her parents didn’t hear. Waverly had spent the night countless times with Wynonna at her house. Her parents probably wouldn’t bat an eyelash but climbing in and out of windows in the middle of the night might raise suspicion.

Nicole lifted Waverly up through her window and then climbed up herself sliding to the floor on her stomach clumsily. Waverly had already crawled into her bed wrapping the blankets around herself sweetly. Nicole grabbed the corner of her top blanket to peel it back.

“Nicole,” Waverly said. “could you grab the bonus blanket?” Nicole’s face softened. She turned to the grey knit blanket draped over a wooden chair in the corner of her room. Nicole made it in Home Economics in the 8 grades. Waverly always borrowed it when she stayed over. She called it her bonus blanket. Nicole grabbed the soft knit throw and shook it out wide over Waverly and watched it slowly land over her bundled up body. She returned to her side of the bed and slipped under the covers.

Nicole’s heart sped up again. Waverly had never slept in her bed before. She laid on her side knees bent up around her and her forehead inches from Waverly’s. Waverly was not shaking anymore, and Nicole could feel the warmth coming off her body. Content, Nicole closed her eyes to sleep.

The sudden warmth up her neck and over the side of her cheeks brought her eyes open again. Waverly cupped Nicole’s jaw in her hand. She lifts her chin to press soft lips against Nicole’s. Nicole pressed in closer holding the kiss longer this time, then she gracefully pulled Waverly closer holding her lightly against her body. Waverly’s fingers tangled in Nicole’s hair drawing her in for another kiss. She was so gentle this time compared to the make-out session in her car on the side of the road. Every kiss delicate and soft. Waverly traced a finger over Nicole's collarbone sending a shudder down her back. She nipped at Nicole's bottom lip softly kissing over the sting. Nicole let her hands rest on Waverly's back keep her pressed against her in a warm embrace. Waverly brushed over Nicole's hip bone with her thumb stirring a flinch from Nicole. Nicole let out a long shaky breath. Waverly gave one last nip on Nicole's neck just below her jawline before she snuggled under her chin and fell asleep in Nicole’s arms.

Nicole felt her heart fluttered in her chest feeling as if it were full of air. She knew without a doubt she was in love with Waverly Earp. She smiled and closed her eyes before finally falling asleep.


	4. Everything Together Trying To Be So Cool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Conflict arises between Waverly and Nicole when a miss understanding pushes one into the arms of another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to throw WayHaught some curve balls to see how they handle hard times. This chapter is a little longer than the first because I couldn't find a good stopping point. The next chapter will have more romance and the 'good stuff.' It has taken me longer than expected to get there, even though I have quite a bit of future chapters written out. I had to find a believable path for the characters. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter
> 
> *Minor alcohol consumption/underage drinking*

Nicole woke up to tufts of long brown hair tickling her face and nose. Waverly was still pressed up against her, tucked under her chin. Nicole could hear her parents banging around downstairs, which meant any second now her mom would be hollering at her to hurry up. 

Nicole sighed blowing away a few of Waverly's stray hairs from her face. 

“Waves, we have to get up. It’s time for school.”

Waverly groaned and buried her face deeper into Nicole’s shoulder. 

“Come on,” Nicole attacked Waverly with kisses down the side of her face and the crook of her neck affectionately. 

“No way!” her voice muffled in the pillow. Nicole resorted to tickles. She poked her fingers into Waverly’s sides as she squirmed and giggled in Nicole’s sheets. 

“Okay! Okay.” She finally said breathlessly. 

Nicole climbed out of bed and dug through her drawers for a clean shirt. Nicole had two styles. She either wore a baseball Tee, the kind with the ¾ length colored sleeves, or a plain V-neck t-shirt with the sleeves cuffed. She matched that with skinny jeans, her worn out black Chuck-Taylors, and some days a New York Yankee’s cap or the black Purgatory Police beanie that Nedley gave her on her birthday. 

Today she was feeling a black V-neck and blue skinny jeans. She looked over her shoulder at Waverly who was finally climbing out of bed. Waverly smiled at her as she walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Nicole swiftly stripped off her shirt and pajama pants and threw them in the hamper. Her shirt slipped on easily. She quickly located a clean pair of boy shirts that she had to tuck in with her hand as she yanked her skinny jeans up over her hips. After she zipped them up and fastened the button she moved on to cuff her sleeves. 

Waverly stepped out the opened door to the bathroom. “Let me help you.” 

Waverly took the rolled fabric of Nicole’s sleeve from her hand and folded it up neatly. She did the other one to match. 

“Thanks.” Nicole said shyly.

“Of course.” Waverly went and sat on the edge of Nicole’s bed still wearing Nicole's ratty old sweater. It was the kind of sweater you would borrow from your grandpa and wear to an ugly sweater contest. It was dull purple, blue, and green chevron lines with a thick black collar. The bottom hem had a tear in it from when Nicole got stuck on a chain link fence chasing after Wynonna. Wynonna had stolen underwear from Marcie’s Lingerie Shop downtown. Nicole was guilty by association and had to high tail it out of there. 

Nicole gave Waverly a subtle smile. She grabbed her New York Yankees cap off the top of her dresser and placed it snug on her head before going to brush her teeth. 

“Nicole!” Right on time. The Haught’s began their morning shouting routine.

“What?” Nicole yelled.

“What are you doing up there it’s time to go!”

“I’ll be right there!” she said through a mouth full of minty foam, adding new dribbles of toothpaste to the mirror before she finished brushing her teeth.

She sat down next to Waverly and tied up her Chucks tight. Then grabbed Waverly’s hand, and a hoodie from the door hanger, and together they scrambled down the stairs.

“Oh.” Mrs. Haught's eyes settled on Waverly. “I didn’t know you had friends stay the night Nicole. Where’s Wynonna?”

“Um, she didn’t come.” Nicole fidgeted with her cap.

“You know, you’re _probably_ in trouble for skipping school yesterday. And…” She trailed off acting out someone smoking. 

“Probably?” Nicole asked squinting one eye hoping her mom would say she wasn’t in trouble. 

Nicole’s dad came out of the kitchen his red hair still wet from a shower. “Nicole’s a good kid. She rarely get’s in trouble. I think we can let this one slide.” Mr. Haught gave Nicole a sly smile and a wink behind her mom’s back.

Mrs. Haught just nodded. “Well you need to skedaddle, you’re going to be late.” She slapped another $10 in Nicole’s hand for lunch. “Don’t judge me.” She pointed a finger at Nicole. 

Nicole put her hands up and shook her head. “No judgments.” 

Nicole ran passed her to the door, Waverly in tow. 

“And no more skipping class!” Mrs. Haught yelled. 

 

Nicole drove Waverly to Chrissy’s house, so she could get her things and change her clothes. She waited in the car listing to Screen by 21 Pilots, it was one of her favorites. She fiddled with the laces on her shoes and then adjusted and readjusted the temperature gauges. She found a stray gum wrapper on the floor mat of the passenger side. She picked it up and stuffed it in her pocket. 

Nicole continued to look for something to mess with impatiently until she caught sight of Waverly standing on the front steps of the Nedley’s house. She was still wearing Nicole’s ugly sweater. It was too big for her. The arms were baggy, and it hung below her waist at her thighs almost like a short dress. She had put on black leggings to cover the rest of her legs and her Doc Martens. Waverly’s hair was pulled back on the top, but she left a little bump in the front. Her soft brown waves spilled over her shoulders, but you could still see the dainty chain holding Nicole’s ring as it rests down below Waverly’s breasts.

It was like Nicole had been kicked in the chest by a horse. The air from her lungs rushed out and she gasped desperately for more. Only Waverly Earp could make that awful sweater look beautiful. Nicole tried to _keep it together and be so cool_ as Waverly approached the driver's side window. Nicole cranked the lever to manually roll it down. Waverly leaned her elbows against the window ledge looking down at Nicole. The flowery breeze of Waverly's perfume mixed with the Vanilla Clove-y smell of Nicole's sweater danced up her nose pleasantly. Nicole breathed it in gratefully 

“Hey,” Waverly grinned. 

Nicole had to tilt her head back to see Waverly through the brim of her cap. 

“Hey.” Nicole breathed. 

“Is it okay if Chrissy tags along?”

Nicole felt a smidge of disappointment, but she liked Chrissy and she _loved_ Waverly. She nodded in agreement.

“Cool.” Waverly traced her finger over the edge of Nicole’s cap and then gently tapped the tip of Nicole's nose.

Chrissy came meandering out of the house eyes glued to her cell phone thumbs hammering quickly on the screen. 

“Hurry up Chrissy!” Waverly pulled the lever to the passenger's seat, folding it with a thud, so Chrissy could climb in. 

“That sweater looks good on you.” Nicole said as Waverly fastened her seatbelt.

“Thanks.” Waverly grinned. “I hope you don’t mind me wearing it. I’ll give it back I promise.”

“I don’t mind. You can borrow it as long as you like.”

Waverly smiled and turned on the radio. 22 by Taylor Swift was playing. Waverly cranked up the volume.

“Ugh, Waverly that’s awful. Turn it down!” Nicole reached for the volume dial.

Waverly grabbed her hand away. “ _I’m feeling twenty-two_ .” She sang. Nicole couldn’t help but smile at her swaying and singing. Her hair whipped around into her face when she turned to sing to Chrissy who was also belting " _I don't know about you_ ". Waverly ran her fingers through the top of hair pulling it back off her face leaving it to lay messily over one side. 

“Come on Nicole!” She ran her hand up the back of Nicole’s head below the line of her hat giving it a loving scratch. Nicole shook her head, but her dimples appeared in a smile weakening her protests. 

“I’m not singing this.” 

“ _Everything will be alright if you keep me next to you_ …” Waverly walked her fingers down Nicole’s thigh. “ _You don't know about me, but I bet you want to_ …” She gave Nicole a wink. Nicole blushed smiling at Waverly with adoration. 

Speeding down the highway that goes from Homestead Ct to Purgatory, Nicole pushed the clutch in and put the car into 3rd gear, her elbow shooing away Waverly’s arm. When the song was over she turned off the radio hoping to avoid any future Taylor Swift songs. 

"You know girls who drive stick shifts are kind of sexy." Waverly bit her lip. 

"Is that so?" 

" Just kind of." Waverly turned away looking out the window concealing a smile. She propped her elbow up on the edge of the window sill and rested her chin in her hand. 

Chrissy popped her head between the seats with her arms hanging on to the headrests for support. 

“So, Nicole.” Chrissy said. “I hear you’re going to the Spring Fling with Shae.”

Waverly’s head whipped up at Nicole, her eyes searching. 

“No!” Nicole defended.

“That’s not what Shae said.” Chrissy added picking at her nails absentmindedly. “Shae said that you asked her to the dance when you guys were in the basement yesterday.” 

“Yesterday?” Waverly's eyes squinted. 

“That’s a lie…I didn’t” Nicole continued to protest.

“Well, she thinks you are and Wynonna confirmed it.”

Nicole pulled into a parking spot at Purgatory High and put the E-break on abruptly, causing the car to rock, before she cut the engine. She turned to face Chrissy, glancing between her and Waverly who was looking down at her hands turning the gold ring between her fingers. 

“Wynonna said?” Nicole's jaw clenched. 

Chrissy opened her mouth to speak but Waverly interrupted “That’s why you were in detention?” She snapped.

Nicole jumped back hurt from the sharpness in Waverly’s voice. She was starting to panic. She shook her head profusely cutting her arms through the air as if to swipe away the conversation. 

“…because you were hitting on Shae in the basement?” Waverly’s voice cut through Nicole like a burning blade leaving her exposed and sore. Waverly opened the car door and slid out. “Real nice Nicole!” 

She left the car door open and walked away.

“Waverly wait!” Nicole struggled to free herself from the seat belt. 

“Wow, what’s her deal?” Chrissy said. 

Nicole dropped her head against the steering wheel. Her eye twitched noting another gum wrapper on her floor. _This day is the worst._

 

Nicole starred at the clock biting her nails and tapping her toes impatiently sitting in day two of detention. Wynonna had awkwardly pulled her foot up on her desk so that she could draw a skull and crossbones over the toe of her Chucks, brow furrowed in deep concentration. 

After 5 minutes, although, to Nicole, it felt like hours, Mr. Mallick was fast asleep right on schedule. 

Wynonna released her leg and stretched yawning dramatically.

“Why are you going around telling people that Shae and I are going to the dance together!” Nicole demanded, trying to stay reasonably quiet so that Shae didn’t hear from the back of the room.

Wynonna went slack-jawed “I haven’t been.”

“Don’t play dumb with me. Chrissy said you told her so.”

“I barely even talk to Chrissy.” Wynonna put her hands up dismissively. 

Nicole scowled at her.

“Look, _okay_ I might have mentioned it to a few people. But what’s the big deal?” Wynonna admitted. 

“The big deal is I don’t want everyone in my business and I’m not going to that stupid dance!”

“Okay, calm your tits Haught.”

Nicole laid her head over her arms on the desk trying figure out a way to fix this. Shae thought they were going together.

“Look, I'll tell Shae you're not going. Okay?” 

Nicole perked up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Don’t screw this up.”

Wynonna nodded lazily 

Wynonna gave another big stretch with her whole body. “I’m hungry, want to leave?” 

“Wynonna we can’t leave for another 20 minutes.” Nicole snapped.

“Who says?” 

“Uh, I don’t, Mr. Mallik maybe? Principle Stark?”

Wynonna sat up “Principle Stark is probably drunk in his office fantasizing about The Pussy Willows” She gestured over to Mr. Mallik “and this dingus is over here sawing logs like his life depends on it. No one will notice if we dip out.”

Nicole was uncertain but liked the idea of _not_ being in detention. Her moms' voice echoed in her head _no more skipping class_. Does this count as skipping class? She cautiously stood up following Wynonna to the door. In passing, Wynonna grabbed three powdered doughnuts out of the pink box sitting on the corner of Mr. Mallik’s desk. 

“See, sometimes we get donuts.” Wynonna grinned her mouth full of powdered sugar.

“Wynonna, I don’t think those were actually meant for you.” 

“Snooze ya lose sucka!” 

 

Nicole sat next to Wynonna at the ‘spot’, where they usually ate lunch, with her back leaned up against the outside wall of the gymnasium. Her feet tucked up close to her chest, while she ate a Snack Pack she bought from the lunch room. Wynonna was eating her donuts for lunch. _No surprise there_ Nicole thought. Xavier was laying on his back in the grass with his headphones hanging out of his ears zoning out. Chrissy sat a crossed from them crunching loudly on carrots and celery sticks while scrolling through her phone inattentively. 

“What are you chewing on over there Chrissy.” Wynonna asked, “small animal bones?”

“Eww Wynonna! What’s the matter with you.” Chrissy squealed.

“You’re loud! That’s what’s the matter.”

“Wynonna…” Nicole nudged her in the ribs with her elbow. “Be nice.”

“I’m the epitome of nice.”

Waverly came skipping around the corner. The sight of her made Nicole’s heart jump into her throat. The soft waves of her hair caught up in the breeze and the way Nicole’s sweater hung on her. She ached to talk to her and explain to her that this was all just a miss understanding. That she wasn’t going to the dance with Shae. 

“Guess what!” she chirped, “Champ Hardy asked me to the Spring Fling Dance!”

Chrissy jumped up excitedly “Oh my god! Tell me you said yes!”

Nicole looked away clenching a small pebble she found on the concrete next to her. She had an urge to chuck it at the nearest window or at Champ Hardy’s face. 

“I didn’t say _no_ , but I didn’t say yes either.” 

Nicole looked up over her shoulder to meet Waverly’s eyes. She wished Waverly could read her mind and understand the mistake she’d be making ifs she went to the dance with Champ friggen Hardy. She turned her focus back on the pebble in her sweating hand. 

“Well why not?” Chrissy demanded. “Waverly you have to say yes. He’s the captain of the football team and you’re a cheerleader. You’re, like, _meant_ to be together.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes “Bleck, how revoltingly cliché.” 

“I guess there is no reason to say no.” Waverly glared. 

“Exactly!” Chrissy chirped.

“What do you think Nicole?” Nicole’s head snapped up at Waverly surprised that she acknowledged her. Her mind flooded with so many things to say. She wanted to ask Waverly to say no, to go to the dance with her instead, but _what if she didn’t want to go with her_ she thought. Waverly sounded excited that Champ asked her. Everything was coming to her at once she didn’t know what to say. 

“I think Champs a shit head.” She blurted, with sinking regret. Wynonna snorted into her coffee shooting little drops down the side of her cup. 

Waverly expression softened. “So, you think I should say no then?” 

Wynonna kicked out her feet and stretched “Of course, you should baby girl. Champ Hardy is just another dumb jock who can’t keep it in his pants.” 

“Wynonna, I’m asking Nicole.” Waverly snapped. “Nicole?”

The situation felt bleak. Still heated from the words they exchanged this morning, Nicole stood up dusted her pants off and said the first stupid thing that came to mind. “You do what you want Waverly.” She walked away in an angry stoop. 

The anger tore through her stomach like a fiery tornado. She kicked an empty Pepsi can off the sidewalk in frustration. Now Waverly would likely say yes to Champ and Nicole would never have her chance again. 

 

Waverly accepted Champs offer to the dance. A week later they were officially dating which meant Nicole had to put up with Champ sitting with them at their spot for lunch.

“How about we skip next period and go make out in my truck,” Champ said with a big stupid grin. “Eh? Eh?”

He planted multiple kisses aggressively over Waverly’s face as she winced away. 

“Okay Champ,” she pressed her hands against his chest. “I think that’s enough.” Champ continued his kissing parade down her neck. Disgusted Nicole turned her attention to a freshman boy struggling to balance his books with his science project. Jeremy, she thought his name was. She was pretty sure he lived a crossed the street from the Nedley’s. 

“Hey, dick bag. My sister said enough!” Wynonna chucked her donut in the grass beside him. “This makes my donut taste bad.”

She stood up abruptly walking around the corner holding out her middle finger but then double backed sticking her neck around the corner. “Haught feel free to punch Chump right in his stupid mug if he gets the tiniest bit out of line.” She winked before disappearing again. 

“I have to go anyways.” Champ said. “call me later baby?”

Waverly just nodded avoiding eye contact with Nicole. 

 

It was Friday night, the night of the dance, and Nicole was hanging out with Wynonna at the McCready’s. They were playing The Curse on the X-box. The game had a simple premise, Kill all 77 revenants. 

“Aw man!” Wynonna sunk into the couch and stuffed a Cheeto in her mouth. “I can never get past level 7!” 

She handed Nicole the controller. “Haught pants you try.” 

Nicole pressed start. The game counted down from three before she pulled the trigger mowing down a bunch of low-level demons. 

“Nice.” Wynonna nodded.

“Waverly you look just darling.” Gus beamed in the entryway. 

Nicole looked up lowering the X-Box controller in her lap. Her jaw dropped staring blankly at Waverly. Waverly stood at the foot of the stairs. Her hair was pulled up into a tight bun on top of her head. Her shoulders were bare except for two skinny black straps supporting a small plain black dress that flared just below the knees. Her feet were covered in black flats with tiny little bows over the toes. She giggled and twirled her dress for Gus’s with excitement spread all a crossed her face. 

Nicole forgot all about the X-Box dropping the controller in Wynonna’s lap. She mindlessly shoveled Cheetos into her mouth, half of them landing on her white and blue baseball tee, staining it orange like her fingers. Waverly glanced over, her smile faded from her lips when her eyes met Nicole’s. Nicole felt her heartbreak over the thought that her presence could wipe a smile off Waverly’s face so easily. 

“Woah!” Wynonna shouted elbowing Nicole in the ribs. “Did you see that.” 

Nicole’s eyes remained fixated on Waverly in that dress. Waverly wasn’t paying the tiniest bit of attention to her anymore. 

“Dude!” Wynonna elbowed her a second time. “You’re not even paying attention. You missed me totally killing those guys _so_ hard.”

Nicole shifted her eyes back to Wynonna. “Oh sorry. That sounds rad.” 

 

Nicole fell asleep in her Cheeto covered shirt next to Wynonna who had stretched out her legs over Nicole’s lap. Groggy, she grabbed her phone to check the time. It was 9 pm. The dance was over at11pm. She had two new texts and one missed call, all from Shae. That burning tornado returned. Nicole threw her phone a crossed the couch stirring Wynonna. 

“Haught, why are you cuddling my feet?” Wynonna mumbled sleepily.

“Uh, I’m definitely not.” 

“Well, they’re in _your_ lap.”

“That’s because you put them there!” Nicole shoved Wynonna legs off her lap and stood up. 

Wynonna got up too and lazily walked into the entry by the stairs. 

“Gus!” she yelled up the stairs. She walked to the kitchen “Gus!” still no response from Gus. Wynonna looked at the hook by the front door for the key to Gus’s truck. They were not there. Wynonna turned to Nicole with a maniacal grin. 

“Oh no,” Nicole said. Wynonna was about to propose something stupidly irresponsible. 

Wynonna nodded her head. “Oh yeah!” 

She came running out of the kitchen giggling holding a bottle of Jack and two shot glasses. She filled them up quickly and shoved one at Nicole.

“Wynonna no.” 

“I’m gonna get you drunk like it’s my job Haught!” 

 

They sat with their backs propped up against the couch, Cheetos sprinkled on the wood floor between them. Nicole was drunk after the third shot but Wynonna, who had progressed to just taking pulls off the bottle, insisted Nicole take a fourth shot. 

“You know,” Wynonna started. “one time, Stephanie Jones told me that I should think about getting a butt lift.”

“What! Your ass is like…” Nicole mimed a cupping motion in the air in front of her. “It’s top shelf man, it’s top shelf.”

“Thanks man.” Wynonna looked over at Nicole. “Are you sad you didn’t go to the dance?”

Nicole shook her head. “Not at all.” She lied. She imagined Waverly with her arms around Champ’s neck and his around her waist. A thought that made her shuttered. She sighed taking a pull of Jack straight from the bottle. Wynonna looked at her impressed. 

“Do you think I’m reckless? Gus says I’m reckless and that I am never going to amount to anything if I don’t shape up.” She took another drink. “and Waverly…she keeps it to herself because she loves me, but I can see it in her eyes. She thinks I’m a screw up too.”

“You know, there’s a quote, I don’t remember who said it right now because I’m all boozy inside,” Nicole giggled. “but it goes like this: Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Nicole paused. She wanted to go to the dance and tell Waverly how she really felt about her and how beautiful she looked in that dress and how she was sorry and that she loved her, but she was _scared_. 

“I don’t think you’re reckless Wynonna, I think you are fearless and there’s nothing wrong with that,” Nicole flashed a dimpled smile.

“Dude, you’re like a walking bumper sticker. Waverly should have gone to the dance with _you_.” 

"I agree."

 

Nicole’s eye twitched at the light peaking in through the door. She was curled up on Wynonna’s floor with a borrowed blanket and a lumpy pillow. Wynonna snoring loudly on the bed above her. Nicole's mouth was dry, and she had to pee. Everything blackened in a head rush when she stood up nearly tipping over, her feet stumbled forward.  
Someone had turned on the hall light. 

No one was there when she peaked her head out. Nicole made her way down the hall to the bathroom pushing it open absentmindedly. She jumped back in surprise. Waverly was standing over the sink brushing her teeth. Her black dress was replaced with a purple bathrobe and her hair was curled from being in a bun all night. 

Waverly wiped toothpaste drool off her chin and spit into the sink. 

“Don’t you knock?” She said.

“I didn’t know anyone was in hear.” Nicole grabbed the door backing out. 

“Nicole wait.” 

Waverly stared at her expectantly, fidgeting with the belt of her bathrobe. 

Nicole tried to stand up straight. Her mouth was still dry, her tongue stuck to the roof, and it was hard to swallow. "Nice bathrobe."

Waverly continued to stare.

“I’m sorry Waverly. I’m just… _so_ sorry.”

Waverly slid her arms around Nicole’s waist “No, I’m sorry.” 

Nicole stood taken aback. She wrapped her arms around Waverly hugging her tentatively. 

“Wynonna explained everything. I know you weren’t lying about Shae.” 

Flabbergasted, Nicole didn’t have anything to say. She had prepared a whole speech to apologize to Waverly but was left wordless. All she could say was “Oh.”

“I’m sorry I got so mad at you.” Waverly squeezed a little harder around Nicole's waist “I guess I was jealous.”

“You were?” Nicole bit at the dry skin of her chapped lip both nervous and relieved at the same time.

Waverly put her hands on Nicole’s hips and pulled back out of Nicole’s arms. Her hands remained, thumbs rubbing lightly on Nicole’s hipbones. She stared down at nothing in particular, swaying back and forth gently. 

Nicole held as still as possible trying to hold everything together. Her mind wandered through the curls of Waverly’s soft brown hair, over the tips of her ears, trailing over her neck and her shoulders, getting lost in the fabric of her purple bathrobe, to her bare knees and naked calves, all the way down to her rainbow painted toes flexing on the white Sherpa rug under her feet. 

“Nicole, I think…” Waverly said, Nicole, hanging on every syllable. “I think I’m in l…” Waverly trailed off. Nicole’s lungs burned, desperate to hear the rest of her sentence. But it never came. 

Waverly’s hands dropped to her sides with a soft smack against her thighs “I think I need to go to bed.” She pushed passed Nicole out the door. Her bedroom door shut behind her with a devasting click.


	5. A Dream Aloud. A Kiss, A Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gus goes out of town to visit family, Wynonna has plans for her absence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, it turns out WayHaught has a smidge more to fight about but it intern makes the realize the need to be more clear about their feelings.

Nicole was demonstrating her batting moves in the kitchen using a pin roller. 

She stood with her weight on the balls of her feet and her knees slightly bent, perfectly balanced. “Boom! Out of the park!” 

Waverly giggled at her. “You’re going to beat Samantha Baker this year. I know it.” She walked over to Nicole edging closer until their feet were almost touching and ran her hands down Nicole’s baseball tee.

“I can tell you have been working hard Nicole. You feel stronger.” Waverly gave her biceps a soft squeeze. Blushing, Nicole reached up adjusting her blue Yankees baseball cap on her head.  


Waverly leaned back on the kitchen table and pushed herself up onto the edge in a sitting position, causing her overall shorts to raise a little up her thigh. Nicole’s eyes were drawn to her naked legs swinging gracefully back and forth under the table. 

“You know what Nicole?” She leaned back on the table stretching out her legs so that her toes hit Nicole’s shins playfully. She was wearing an angelic smile so breathtakingly beautiful it set fire to Nicole’s heart, pumping warmth down her legs and up into her cheeks. “You’re pretty cute in that baseball hat.” 

Nicole’s heart cartwheeled in her chest generating a single cough. She opened her mouth to speak but her attention averted. 

“What's up nerds!” Wynonna bellowed onto the kitchen. Waverly sat up rolling her eyes. 

Wynonna looked from Waverly to Nicole, who had turned to the window above the sink rubbing the back of her neck anxiously. “What are you guys doing?” 

Nicole opened the cabinet and pulled out a glass. "Water."

Wynonna took a long step into the kitchen “ _Anyways_ , as you know, Gus is leaving tonight for her annual family reunion over the weekend in Lake Faucet.” 

Nicole groaned. Every time Gus left for the weekend Wynonna threw a party inviting almost the entire school, getting totally wasted, completely trashing the house, and designating Nicole as the cleanup crew. 

“…AND Doc's older brother has agreed to get us a keg.” she rocked on her toes looking satisfied before strutting over to the sink where she leaned her back up against the counter next to Nicole.

“And maybe you could bring your little girlfriend right Haught stuff.” She winked lifting Nicole’s hat halfway off her head. Nicole glanced at Waverly playing with the ring around her neck, turning it over between her fingers, appearing to care less about their conversation. 

“Shae’s definitely not my girlfriend.” She adjusted her hat. Nicole hadn’t dated anyone since Beth Gardner at the end of junior year. She was only mildly interested in her anyway. 

“Oh, come on Haught, the whole population of Purgatories finest gay ladies is totally into you, those dimples, and those big old heart eyes of yours. It’s about time you got a girl or at least got la…” 

Wynonna whipped her head around. “Shhh be cool nerds.”

Gus entered the kitchen dragging an overstuffed suitcase behind her. “Alright girls. I’m leaving, so please behave.” Her eyes primarily focusing on Wynonna. “ _Please_ , Wynonna. For Once?” 

Wynonna sighed melodramatically throwing her head back. “Fiiine.”

Gus kissed her on top of her head Wynonna recoiling. “Good girl.”

Waverly slid off the table and walked over to Gus’s throwing her arms around her middle. “Have a safe trip, Gus.” She said sweetly. Gus kissed her head while rubbing her shoulder lovingly. 

“Nicole…I know I don’t have to worry about you.” Gus walked over and kissed Nicole’s head too. 

“I’ll be back Sunday evening. Call me if you need me.” She dragged her suitcase out the door, less than gracefully. 

“Whoop whoop!” Wynonna cheered as soon as Gus was out of the driveway. “Let’s get this shit show started!” 

“What does that even _mean_ Wynonna?” Waverly shook her head, eyes squinting at her older sister. 

“It means baby girl, that it’s party time.” She winked “Don’t ask if Champ can come!”

Waverly stuck out her tongue while trudging up the stairs. 

“Oh, come on!” Wynonna turned. “Okay fine! Champ can come.”

The sound of Waverly’s door slamming shut was the only response.

The McCready’s house was packed full of bodies. The blasting music vibrated in Nicole’s chest and made the house feel even more crowded. The cheering in the living room behind her caught her attention. Stephanie was doing a keg stand while Champ and Perry cheered her on. 

“Steph-uh-nie, Steph-uh-nie” 

Nicole held her red cup firmly in her hand trying to navigate through the stuffy hormone filled room, without dumping her beer all over her grey and green baseball t-shirt. It was a special St. Patrick’s Day edition of the Red Sox’s. Red Sox was written in a small green font on the left side of her chest decorated with a tiny green four-leaf clover and 34 stamped on the back. It was one of her favorite tees. 

Waverly was standing in the back corner laughing at something Chrissy said. She looked up at Nicole through the crowd of people leaning against the archway and smiled. Nicole smiled back, their eyes lingering for a moment. 

“Nicole!” Wynonna latched on to Nicole’s shoulder and spun her around. Nicole flinched at the little drops of beer that splashed over her shirt. She clenched her jaw as she wiped them off. 

“We are playing 3 man come on!” 

“No way, I’m not…” Nicole tried to protest but Wynonna interrupted. 

“You’re coming. Shae’s over here. Let’s go.” Wynonna grabbed the collar of Nicole’s shirt and dragged her into the reading den. 

A coffee table was littered with unfinished beer cups, shot glasses, and a tall bottle of R&R. Nicole cringed. She was not a big drinker anyway, but R&R was the worst. Doc was rattling a set of dice on the table absentmindedly with a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips, his mustache twitched with every roll. Nicole always wondered if Docs mustache tickled Wynonna’s nose when they kissed, or if it got stuck in her teeth. She shuddered the thought away. 

Xavier and Rosita giggled next to Doc on the couch and Wynonna plopped down in front of him on the floor. Knowing Wynonna there was a no way out of this. 

Nicole’s stomach sank when she saw Shae sitting on the floor between Wynonna and Quin looking at her expectantly. Avoiding her, Nicole shuffled over to the table sitting crisscross on the floor deliberately putting Quin between them. She proceeded to avoid eye contact. On her right, Eliza was sliding full shot glasses in front of each player. 

Wynonna smacked her hands down on the table “Okay so here are the rules.” 

“Starting with 1 die, the first person to roll a three becomes the three man. Which means every time someone rolls a multiple of three, the three man has to drink. Then we add the second die. If a player rolls a 7, the person to the left drinks. If a player rolls an 11, the player to the right has to drink…” 

Wynonna recited the rest of the rules to three man. They had played it so many times that Nicole didn’t need to hear them again. The rules basically implied that everyone would be wasted before the game ends, especially those stuck being three man. 

Nicole’s attention returned to the rattling of dice swiveling on the table. Xavier rolled a 5 and handed the dice to Rosita. She rolled a 1. Eliza rolled a 7 and slid the dice to Nicole. She dropped the dice on the table and watched it spin on its corners before landing on a three. Fuck. 

“Nicole’s the first three man!” Wynonna slurred, already drunk. “Quin you’re to the left of Nicole so you start the first round.” Quin rolled a 1 and a 5. “1 and a 5! Three man drinks.” Wynonna shouted. Nicole begrudgingly swallowed the shot. The R&R burned unpleasantly down her throat, but she tried not to reveal her discomfort to the group. Shae rolled a 5 and a 2. 

7, Wynonna had to drink. 

Wynonna rolled a 5 and a 4. “Three man drinks.” 

Nicole filled up her shot glass and swallowed the second shot. That one went down a little easier but still tickled Nicole’s gag reflex on its way down and settle uncomfortably in her stomach. 

“We are gonna get you so drunk Haughtie!” Wynonna laughed after Nicole’s third shot slid down her throat. Her head was starting to feel heavy. 

She looked over her shoulder wondering what Waverly was doing and wanted to leave to go find her. Nicole felt warm as she remembered Waverly smiling at her from a crossed the room. Or maybe she was just warm from the alcohol. It was hard to tell at this point. Wynonna smacked her on the back of the head to get her attention.

“Haught! You have to drink.” She started laughing hysterically. “You have to drink AGAIN!” the others giggled too. Nicole just sighed.

Nicole switch to gulps of beer instead of shots. Her arms felt clumsy as she moved. She tried to stand up but fell forward the first attempt. 

Wynonna leaned back on Docs chest cradling what was left of the whiskey. Xavier was passed out next to them. The others were either chatting amongst themselves or had left the den. Shae was one of them who had left. 

Nicole managed to stand but swayed heavily as she headed to the living room. A few people were passed out on the couches and the floor. There was still plenty of lively teenagers’ dancing, talking loudly over the music, and roughhousing in the kitchen. Nicole scanned the room for Waverly but didn’t see her anywhere. Thinking she must have gone upstairs to her room. Nicole braced herself on the banister and stumbled up the stairs. 

“Not in my room Haught!” Wynonna called from the den.

Nicole’s foot caught on the edge of the stair causing her trip onto her face. She decided to bear crawl the rest of the way to Waverly’s door. She used the door handle as leverage to stand up, inadvertently creaking it open to reveal a horrifying scene. Champ’s back was visible above the tangles of Waverly’s blankets. Nicole’s stomach twisted at the sight of him rocking above her. She quickly shut the door and stood, bracing herself against it trying to process what she saw, while also trying to forget what she saw. 

Nicole spun around catching herself on the nearest wall and continued to scramble down the dark hallway until she reached the guest bedroom. She opened the door sliding past it clumsily and stood with her hands fixed against it as if to keep out imaginary intruders. Tears welled in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. Why did she open that door? Why didn’t she knock first? Why would Waverly be interested in him anyway? Why? 

A small disembody voice sniffled behind her. “Nicole?”

Nicole turned around. “Waverly” she sighed in relief. 

Waverly was sitting on the edge of the bed with tear tracks staining her face. Nicole dried her own tears with the back of her hand trying to hide them but was unsuccessful. 

“Why are you crying?” 

Nicole looked at the floor “Why are _you crying ?”_

__

“Champ” she squeaked. The sound of his name twisted in her stomach nearly buckling her over. Seeing him and who she thought was Waverly made her sick. 

__

“I found Champ kissing Stephanie on the back porch. He didn’t even notice me standing there. I just ran back inside and came in here thinking no one would find me here but here _you_ are.” She waved a wet tissue around. Nicole didn’t have the heart to tell her what was happening in her room at the moment. 

__

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to take your hiding place.” Nicole stammered.

__

“No, I’m glad you’re here.”

__

“You are?”

__

“Yes, you’re the only person I actually _want_ to see right now.” 

__

Nicole swallowed the big lump forming in her throat.

__

Waverly wiped under her eyes with her thumb “Will you sit with me for a little while?” 

__

Nicole obliged sitting next to Waverly feeling the tension leaving her body knowing that Waverly was in this room with her and not with Champ. Waverly leaned her head on Nicole’s shoulder eventually pulling Nicole’s arm over her so that she was tucked in against Nicole’s chest. They sat like that silently for a while. The only sound was the tick tick tick of the antique clock Gus got at a garage sale last summer. She thought it was haunted so she kept it in the guest bedroom. Really Wynonna had just stuck her walkie-talkie in it and made ghost noises from the other room. 

__

Nicole was drowsy as her body succumbed to the alcohol. She melted back into the bed, her feet still dangling off the edge, and Waverly tucked against her chest. With her eyes shut she let out a big sigh. 

__

“Nicole.?”

__

“Hm?” 

__

“You always smell like vanilla dipped donuts.” Waverly was drawing circles on Nicole’s stomach with her finger. “They’re my favorite.” 

__

The words stirred in Nicole’s chest like honey in tea. She craned her neck, to plant a kiss on Waverly’s forehead and returned to the tick tick tick of the clock. Nicole felt herself drifting off into a whiskey slumber. 

__

Waverly propped up her elbow, draped over Nicole’s shoulder, her hips pressed against Nicole’s ribs. 

__

“Are you sleeping?” Waverly whispered.

__

“Mmhmm” Nicole hummed groggily.

__

Waverly bent down and pressed a soft kiss on Nicole’s cheek by her ear jump starting Nicole’s heart like a shot of espresso. Waverly placed her finger over the kiss like the touch made it permanent.

__

__

“Are you _still_ asleep?” 

__

Nicole nodded her head once, her eyes remained closed but more alert. Waverly’s finger trailed down Nicole’s face stopping just below her chin and it was replaced with another kiss. Nicole took in a long deep breath releasing it out painfully slow. Waverly slipped her finger halfway down her neck and kissed it there too. Each touch creating chaos in Nicole’s body. She was certain the room was spinning hard like the tilt-a-whirl at the Purgatory Summer Fair. 

__

Waverly’s soft lips brush Nicole’s cheek when she whispered against her face. “How about now?”

__

Nicole let out another pained breath “No.” 

__

Waverly continued her finger down, slower this time, stopping just above Nicole’s collarbone. The cool wet touch of Waverly’s tongue caressed her skin. Waverly sucked the skin into her mouth releasing it with a pop. Nicole’s breathing quickened. 

__

Waverly smiled into her neck while running her hand up the other side of it, pulling Nicole closer. She whimpered as she kissed and nibbled from Nicole’s collarbone to her chin and up to her earlobe. 

__

Waverly slid over Nicole’s hips straddling her body between her legs. She cupped Nicole’s jaw in her hand’s manipulating it, so she could kiss and nip the other side of Nicole’s neck, leaving behind a cool wet trail. 

__

Nicole found it increasingly more difficult to remain still, yet she laid there helpless. She desperately wanted to put her lips against Waverly’s and hold her tight to her body, but she knew she was drunk. She knew Waverly was drunk, and that even though Champ had cheated on her, Waverly had not officially ended their relationship. Nicole did not want this, whatever this was, to happen under these circumstances. She pressed two shaky hands against Waverly's shoulders gently pushing her back. 

“What’s wrong?” Waverly asked.

__

“Waves, I’m too drunk.” 

__

Waverly rolled off Nicole flopping down on the bed dramatically. She laid with her arms stretched out a crossed the bed panting softly. 

__

Nicole slid partially off the bed “We should get back to the party”.

__

Waverly ran her thumb soothingly over Nicole’s hand. “Thank you for sitting with me Nicole.”

__

“Of course.”

__

The two of them headed out the door and down the stairs. Nicole felt Waverly slide her fingers between hers. Nicole turned her head to look at Waverly’s smiling face but was met with Shae’s aggressive embrace. Shae forced her lips against Nicole’s with the whip of her tongue. Nicole put her hands out to hold Shae back, but before she could free herself Waverly had slipped away. 

__

“Shae what are you doing!”

__

“I’m sorry.” Shae looked down at the floor. 

__

“Dude! Where have you been?” Wynonna snorted.

__

Nicole scanned for Waverly but couldn’t see her. She pushed passed Wynonna angrily and ran out the door. Waverly was sitting on the steps outside wiping new tears from her cheeks. 

__

“Waves?”

__

She stood up and shook her head. The soft brown ringlets of her hair bouncing in the light of the porch. “You don’t have to say anything. It’s okay.”

__

“It’s not…”

__

“I get it. We’re not dating.” She interrupted. 

__

“But…”

__

“Enjoy your night Nicole.” She walked through the doorway wiping away tears. “Don’t follow me.” 

__

Nicole watched her disappear up the stairs. Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach. She never failed at ruining her opportunities with the girl she loved more than anything. If there was a way to screw it up Nicole could find it. She only hoped that Champ wasn’t in there. Her face crinkled at the thought of him in her bed. She half-considered going up there to warn Waverly, but her words repeated in her head. _Don’t follow me_. 

__

Wynonna pushed against Nicole’s back forcing her fee to move forward. “Come on dude! We are playing beer pong.”

__

Nicole didn’t have the energy to fight. She went willingly with Wynonna to the kitchen. Red cups were arranged into two triangles one at each end of the kitchen table. Perry and Xavier stood at the opposite end. 

__

“We doing this or what?” Perry said. 

__

Wynonna grabbed the ping pong ball and threw it lightly a crossed the table. It landed in a cup in the third row. Perry frowned and removed the cup from the triangle shaking it off. “Luck shot.”

__

With a faint swish of the wrist, Nicole’s ping pong ball landed in a cup in the back row. 

__

“Nice!” Wynonna turned to Nicole and gave her a chest bump. “Boob smush.” 

__

Nicole stumbled back a little. Perry had the ball next. He missed. 

__

Wynonna smacked Nicole’s arm. “Dude, where are you?”

__

“I’m just a little tired is all.”

__

Wynonna removed a cup for Xavier. “Are you and Waverly fighting still?” She swished her ball and missed. “Damn.”

__

“We are not fighting!” 

__

“Why don’t you just tell her to break up with that loser Champ and date you?”

__

Nicole’s aim swerved, and her ball bounced under the table. “What?”

__

“You don’t think I don’t’ know you’re in love with my baby sister? Come on man how long have we been friends.”

__

Nicole didn’t respond.

__

“You know she totally loves you too don’t you?”

__

“She does?”

__

“Yeah, you’re like all she talks about.” 

__

“Really?” Nicole was in disbelieve. Then she remembered Waverly in the bathroom standing in her purple bathroom, the unfinished sentence. _Nicole, I think I’m in l…_

__

“She comes home all like ‘did you hear what Nicole said today. Isn’t Nicole so funny and Nice.” Wynonna shook her head. “It makes me sick.” 

__

Nicole picked up the ping pong ball bouncing at her feet. She tossed into another cup. 

__

Wynonna turned to Nicole. “Could you two just work out your shit so I don’t have live with sad Waverly and see your big sad puppy dog eyes all the freakin’ time!” 

__

Nicole couldn’t believe it. She wanted to go talk to Waverly right now but refrained. Now was the _worst_ time to talk to her, so she stayed and played ping pong ball with her best friend. The rest of the night was a blur of red cups, the clacking of thin plastic against the kitchen table, and Wynonna’s thick mane flying around as she cheered herself on occasionally whipping Nicole the eye. 


	6. I Should Be Over All The Butterflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's a happier chapter. However, I wrote it in Waverly's perspective this time because I felt like it made more sense, for two reasons. Since Waverly has been so reactive to the situations with Shae, I thought it would be good to hear what's in her head. And two because I realized I haven't given Waverly as many unique characteristics as I have Nicole other than the ring she plays with. This is my way of adding some of them in. Anyway, hope you enjoy it and are not thrown off by the change in perspective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Chapter 7 is going to be really special just so you know.  
> *Feedback is always welcome. Thank you.

Waverly woke up Sunday morning, light peeking through the blinds making a pattern a crossed her bed. She rolled over blindly swatting at her phone on the nightstand, her face tucked between her pillow and her mattress. She strained to see her phone, 23 new text messages flashed a crossed the screen. 

NICOLE: Waverly, I need to talk to you.  


CHRISSY: Are you alive??  


NICOLE: Waves please respond…  


CHAMP: Hey baby I think I left my jacket at your house Friday night…

 _Ick_ . Waverly slammed her phone on the bed. She smashed her pillow hard against her cheek and screamed into it. 

She picked the phone back up.

WYNONNA: Hey baby girl, can you make sure my curling iron is off, I left in a rush. 

Waverly felt like she was dying. She hadn’t talked to anyone since Friday night, other than Wynonna. Wynonna had told her she wasn’t very pleasant to be around lately, so Waverly confined herself to her room. 

WAVERLY: Yes…

Her phone chimed. One new message.

NICOLE: Hey. I’m going to the Ruckus Room after work. Meet me there at 3:15?

Waverly slapped her hands against her face and dragged them down to her chin. She thought about Nicole and Shae. She didn’t stick around to see anymore. But then she thought about Nicole sitting with her in the guest bedroom while she cried into Nicole’s favorite tee shirt. She knew it was Nicole’s favorite because she had bought it for her. Waverly found it in a gift shop when she went to Boston, with Gus, to visit Gus’s sick aunt. Waverly used all her money to get it. Number 34, David Ortiz, one of Nicole’s favorite players, next to Didi Gregorius of the New York Yankees, that is. Waverly knew nothing about baseball but she knew that. 

Waverly’s body warmed as she thought about Nicole. She touched her fingers to her lips remembering the way Nicole taste when she kissed her, and the way Nicole smiled at her even though she really didn’t want to listen to Taylor Swift. 

Waverly rubbed her eyes. It was 2:45. She rolled out of bed quickly and ran to the bathroom to shower. It takes almost 20 minutes to get to town from The McCready’s, so she had to hurry. 

The shower was hot and felt good against her skin, but she didn’t have time to enjoy it. She quickly lathered soap into her hair and her body, rinsed and hopped out of the shower to dry off. She hissed pulling back her wrist in pain. The curling iron was on. She rolled her eyes and turned it off and ran cold water over the small burn on her wrist.

In Waverly’s room, her clothes flew out of her closet violently as she tried to find the right thing to wear. Nothing was good enough. She blew her hair out of her face in frustration.

She paced her room until something caught her eye. Peeking out under the strewn-out contents of her closet was a little green, blue, and purple chevron striped sleeve. She tugged it free and held it out in front of her. She had never given back Nicole’s sweater. _This is perfect_ she thought. 

Waverly slid it over her tank top, pulled on a short black cotton skirt, and slipped on her Doc Martens. She ran down the stairs. Wynonna was at work, she had the same shift as Nicole today, and Gus wasn’t home until 5 pm but the keys to her Jeep were there. Waverly smiled and pulled them off the hook. She halfway stepped out the door but then doubled back. There was some unfinished business in the shape of a men’s denim jack hanging over the chair in the kitchen. She threw it over her arms.

 

Waverly pulled up to the Hardy’s. Champs Royal Blue GMC Sierra, with raised suspension and off-road Wheels, sat in the driveway. She put the Jeep in park and marched up to the front steps. Champ answered propping his elbow on the door frame leaning against it casually.

“Oh, hey baby.”

Waverly pressed his jacket into his hands. “Here’s your jacket.” 

“Do you want to come in? My parents aren’t home.” He winked.

Waverly took a few steps backward. “No Champ, I want to break up.” 

She turned and walked towards the Jeep pulling open the door to climb in.

“Is this about Stephanie?” 

“No, this is about me!” Waverly slammed the door shut and drove off, the tires kicking up dirt theatrically. 

A wave of nerves flowed through Waverly as she pulled into town searching for the nearest parking spot to the Ruckus room. She sat in the Jeep momentarily thinking about what to say. All words seemed to have abandoned her. She sighed and climbed out of the Jeep. She'll just have to wing it. 

The Ruckus room was filled with the musical notes and chimes of arcade games and people grunting in frustration as they poured their money into impossible games. Waverly immediately saw Nicole when she walked through the door. She was leaning over the Jurassic Park pinball machine with a look of fixed concentration. Waverly swallowed hard. 

Nicole looked _so cool_ she thought. Standing there wearing her black skinny jeans, the ones that hugged her butt in the cutest way, and her dirty old high-top Chucks. She had on a white V-neck tee that hung loosely down just below her belt loops. Her arm muscle flexed as she pulled the spring back to release the next pinball followed by the rattling, jingling, chaos within the machine. 

Nicole’s worn out New York Yankees cap sat backward on her head, with a folded tuft of dark red hair peeking out of the adjustable back strap that was snug a crossed her forehead. Waverly’s heart slammed in her chest vibrating up her throat, and down to her knees as if someone had kicked the back of them forcing them to buckle.

Wynonna stood next to Nicole with her back leaned up against the pinball machine one over, it was Dracula. B-train shoved her aside and slid quarters into the change receptor. 

“Eat a dick B-train.” Wynonna turned towards the door where she saw Waverly. She nudged Nicole in the side. Nicole flinched away from her. 

“God Wynonna you made me miss my ball!” The machine flashed signifying that it was resetting the game. Nicole dug into her pockets searching for more change.

Wynonna nudged her again, “Waverly’s here.” 

Nicole’s head snapped up meeting Waverly’s gaze while quarters slid from her fingers. She smiled weakly.

Waverly fantasized about running into Nicole’s arms and being carried away, but this wasn’t a fairy tale. 

“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to go talk to her about whatever it is you two are fighting about?” Wynonna said. 

Nicole smacked her hand on the Jurassic Park game defensively “We’re not fighting.”

“Well whatever you are fighting about, or ‘not’ fighting about, she is taking it out on me. So, go flipping fix it.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “I can hear you guys.”

Wynonna’s eyes got big and she ran her hand through the side of her hair coolly as she turned the other direction. 

“I didn’t think you were coming.” Nicole bent down to pick up two quarters off the ground. “I figured since you didn’t return _any_ of my texts.”

Waverly’s eyes roamed the room looking for something that might keep her from floating away. The fluttering in her chest was searching for an escape and she was getting antsy. She fiddled with the hem of the sweater until it drew Nicole’s eyes and she dropped her hands to her side. Nicole looked up from the sweater to Waverly’s face. Waverly melted into Nicole’s heart eyes knowing she was about to apologize again from something she didn’t do. 

“Waves I…”

The butterflies fluttering in Waverly’s chest became too intense. She couldn’t hold it in anymore, she had to let it go. Her mouth opened, and the butterflies flew out “I…I’m in love you.” 

Nicole’s quarters escaped her grip and landed back on the ground, one of them rolling behind the skee ball. 

“I broke up with Champ and I’m in love with you.” Waverly’s sweating hands instinctively went to the ring around her neck. She squeezed it nervously. Nicole wasn’t saying anything, and it was making her panic. Maybe shouldn’t have said it. Maybe it was…

Nicole closed the distance between them swiftly sliding her arms around Waverly’s waist. Nicole’s lips pressed against hers tenderly. She didn’t feel like she was floating away anymore. She found what she was looking for. 

“I love you so much, Waverly Earp.”

Waverly’s hand ruffled through Nicole’s hair pushing her hat up and she pulled her in for another kiss. 

Wynonna, who was leaning on the change machine behind them and had managed to locate a donut, called out “Get a room!” 

 

Waverly exited her history class holding her book against her chest. She saw Nicole walking down the hall her head hung as she was reading something on her phone. Waverly skipped down the hall to meet her lacing her fingers with Nicole’s. Nicole looked up from her phone and smiled at Waverly.

“Hi, cutie.” 

Waverly could all but keep from dancing. _Cutie_ she echoed. She starred up mesmerized by the messy waves of Nicole’s hair sprouting in all directions, and her large dark honey colored eyes framed with long black lashes. 

“Hey,” Waverly said. 

“Do you want me to walk you to 4th period?” Since Nicole was a senior and already had most of her credits, she didn’t have a 4th period. She usually met up with some of her teammates for extra softball practice. 

“Maaybe.” Waverly wrapped her hand around Nicole’s bicep. Nicole smiled as they walked further down the hallway. Waverly never felt this way holding hands with Champ, or anyone for that matter. Nicole was special. Nicole was warm, and Nicole was home. 

As they strolled past the wall of endless grey lockers Waverly’s mind started to wander. She had the urge to kiss Nicole _but not like a quick kiss_. She wanted to kiss her deep and purposefully. Her grip tightened on Nicole’s arm.

The bright yellow lettering on the door to the janitorial closet caught her eye and she made a quick decision. She pulled Nicole by her arm through the closet door and shut it behind them. 

“Waverly,” Nicole looked around confused. “What are we doing in the janitor’s closet?”

Waverly stood up on her toes cupping Nicole’s face and kissed her softly so that the skin of their dry lips stuck together when she pulled away. Nicole’s eyes were closed when Waverly pulled back, and her hands hung awkwardly in the air searching for a place to go. Waverly guided Nicole’s hands to her waist and carefully backed her up against the closet wall. Waverly’s heartbeat sped up then slow back down again as soon as she decided what she wanted to do. She had been thinking about kissing Nicole like this since they made out in her car. 

Waverly slowly ran her hands up Nicole’s neck and tangled her fingers in her thick red hair. She studied Nicole as her breathing deepened and released slowly. Waverly’s mouth brushed over Nicole’s, their lips fitting together like a puzzle. The kiss was followed by another and another. Her tongue dancing on Nicole’s lips until they parted for her and was met with Nicole’s. Her fingers tightened in Nicole’s hair drawing her closer. Waverly smiled into their kisses satisfied when she heard Nicole whimper. 

Waverly dropped her hands to the hem of her girlfriends cotton baseball shirt and slid them up a crossed the firm muscles of her stomach. She wanted to memorize every curve of Nicole’s body. A rush of heat traveled to her thighs and almost hurt. She kissed Nicole harder panting into her mouth, breathing her in, deciding that wasn’t enough. 

Waverly’s hands slipped out of Nicole’s shirt and she traced the waistband of Nicole’s jeans with the tip of her index finger. She carefully undid the button and slid down the zipper.

“Is this okay?”

Nicole nodded breathlessly “Yes.”

Waverly brushed her lips over Nicole’s collarbone occasionally nipping the skin leaving a raised red blotch. Nicole just breathed heavily in her ears, tilting back against the wall to expose more of her neck, and Waverly took advantage of every square inch. 

Waverly’s body shook with anticipation, her knees nearly giving out as the tips of her fingers played with the elastic of her girlfriend’s blue and grey boy shorts. Waverly bit her lip, she slowly slid her hand lower over the cotton fabric until she was cupping the heat of Nicole’s body in her hand. 

Nicole jumped. She held up her hands against Waverly’s shoulders “Waves wait.” 

“What’s wrong?” Waverly removed her hand from Nicole’s pants feeling impatient. She was in love and she badly wanted to experience Nicole in a different way. 

Nicole laughed. “Well for starters we’re in a janitor’s closet at school and there is a mop jammed into my back.” 

Waverly looked down at the floor and smiled at Nicole’s feet standing over the head of a dirty mop. “I am sorry.”

“Waves, we don’t have to rush.” Nicole hooked her finger under Waverly’s chin and placed a soft kiss on her lips. “I want this to be special and I definitely don’t want it to be next to a tower of industrial sized toilet paper rolls.” She flashed her dimples washing away all of Waverly’s feelings of frustration. 

Waverly loved that Nicole cared about it being something special. It made her feel like she was something special. 

She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend’s waist deciding this was worth waiting for. “Okay.” 

Nicole held Waverly firmly in her arms “I love you.”

“Promise?” 

“Promise.”

 

Waverly scanned the aisles looking for Nicole. Mr. Baker was yet again making a complaint against the grocery store and wanted to speak to the supervisor. She could hear giggling and the rattling wheels of a grocery cart. Wynonna came zooming down aisle 5 standing with one foot on the edge of the cart, propelling herself forward within the other, while eating a powdered donut and smacking cereal boxes off the shelves obnoxiously. 

“Wynonna this isn’t a playground.” Nicole groaned. “and I’m pretty sure you didn’t pay for that.” 

Nicole was stocking the shelves and occasionally noting something on her clipboard taking inventory. Her red hair rest at the collar of her green Ghost River Market polo rubbing against it each time she turned her head. The polo fit Nicole perfectly, emphasizing the curves of her body from her broad shoulders down her thin waist where she had it neatly tucked into black skinny jeans. Waverly couldn’t help but explore her with her eyes. Waverly’s own work polo was too big. They had run out of smalls, so she had to wear a size up. It hung loosely down to her thighs. She tied it in the front to shorten it revealing a small sliver of her mid-drift above her black leggings. 

Wynonna came zooming passed Waverly ruffling her hair in the process. “How’s it going baby girl.” 

Nicole sighed. “Wynonna, if you’re going to be here, could you at least do the job you're _paid_ to do.”

“What job is that?” 

“You could start by helping me with inventory.” 

“Nicole?” Waverly interjected.

Nicole looked up from her clipboard. “Yes, Waverly?” She turned to face Waverly so that her silver name tag sparkled under the fluorescent lighting. It read:

 

Supervisor  
Nicole Haught

 

Waverly tried to ignore the obnoxious hooting and hollering that was her sister behind her. “Mr. Baker is here…again.”

Nicole sighed dramatically throwing her head back. “What _is_ it today?”

“He wants to return a pair of underwear that he said gave him a rash. I told him we couldn’t except them, and _then_ he asked to speak to the supervisor.” Mr. Baker came at least twice a week to complain or return something and often asked for Nicole by name. 

“Blech!” Nicole smacked her hand to her face. “What is his deal?” She followed Waverly back to the cash register. 

Waverly and Nicole were both closing tonight. It would be just them alone in the store for an hour after Wynona and Eliza left. The thought of being alone with her for any length of time sent heat down her body. She wanted to reach out and grab Nicole’s hand, but she settled for biting her own lip instead.

“Mr. Baker we cannot take back underwear that has already been used,” Nicole said firmly.

“But they gave me a rash all over my…”

Nicole held her hands up “I really don’t need to know the details, Mr. Baker. I am sorry it would be unsanitary to return them now.” She pulled out something from the drawer under the cash register. “I will, however, give you this 10% off coupon that is valid through the end of the month.”

Mr. Baker nodded and took the coupon then walked out the sliding front doors. Nicole stood with her hands on her hips watching Mr. Baker disappear further into the parking lot and let out a sigh.

“Why do you always do that?” Waverly asked.

“Do what?” 

“Give into him?”

“Because I’d rather not spend the next hour finding new ways to explain to him our return policies _every time_ he comes in. He goes home happy and I go home with my sanity.”

“I guess that’s why Mr. Del Rey promoted you.” 

Waverly admired Nicole's patience and ability to resolve conflict easily.

 

Waverly grabbed her backpack off the hook in the break room and slid it over her shoulders. Nicole came in behind her. 

“Do you need a ride home tonight?” 

Doc had picked Wynonna up earlier when her shift was over, but he said he would come back to get Waverly after closing time. She would much rather ride with Nicole Haught. 

Waverly nodded “That would be nice.”

“Cool.” 

Waverly hooked her finger in Nicole’s belt loop and pulled her close. Wrapping her hands around Nicole’s neck she pulled her even closer. 

“Waverly.” Nicole whispered against her mouth. “We…”

Waverly cut her off with a long drawn out kiss taking in a deep breath. She released Nicole’s neck and took her hands. “I think we should go on a date.” 

“I could take you on a date.” 

“No.”

“No?”

“I _want_ to take _you_ on a date.”

Nicole smiled. “Friday night my parents are going into the city for their anniversary. The house will be empty until after midnight. You could come over?”

“Perfect, but first I get to take you on a date. Like a real date...with like food and stuff.”

Nicole laughed “Okay.”


	7. You Can Get Lost In The Music For Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly plans for her first date with Nicole but finds herself nervous about the possibilities of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is also written in Waverly's perspective-it made more sense. I tried writing in Nicole's perspective and it wasn't working. Chapter 8 is for sure in Nicole's perspective though.
> 
> *I originally was trying to avoid all cheesiness but my version of Waverly insisted it be there, so it's there.

It was finally Friday and Waverly could hardly wait for tonight. She had planned something special for her date with Nicole and was excited to see her face when she saw it. 

Waverly’s eyes fixated on every tick of the clock. English literature was dragging on. Her pen mindlessly drawing circles in the same spot until the ink sank through her paper and onto the desk. When the bell rang she had already packed her things and was out the door. 

She combed the hall looking for Nicole but was roadblocked by Champ standing outside her classroom.

“Baby, we need to talk.”

“Ick, not now Champ.” Waverly stood on her toes trying to see if she could spot a cute tall redhead coming her way. 

“I can’t help it that Stephanie threw herself at me. What was I supposed to do?”

“Please stop talking to me.” Waverly was losing her patience she tried walking away but Champ moved to stop her. She sidestepped around him and he followed her.

“I just hate to think of you crying over me, all alone.” Waverly spun around to look Champ dead in the eye, heat rushing to her face, fist clenching. 

“I’m not sitting around pining for you.” She snapped. 

“I think I can make it up to you eh?” He winked

“Did you not hear me?” She took a step back. “Get over yourself. You’re not the only one who cheated.” 

Champs faced squinted up like it was hard to believe anyone would ever cheat on Champ Hardy. “What? With who?”

Waverly dismissed him, her attention went elsewhere. Champ just faded off into the background like white noise. 

She melted into the floor, her breath catching in her throat when she spotted Nicole. Nicole was looking down at a small blue notepad studying it. Waverly starred her as she came nearer. Her hair pulled back on the top. That’s how she wore it for softball. 

Champ followed Waverly’s gaze. 

“With her?” 

Waverly just nodded, a smile developing a crossed her face, refraining from running to Nicole and breaking her concentration. She swore she could hear "This Kiss" by Faith Hill playing through the hall. 

_But you got me like a rocket_  
_Shooting straight across the sky_

Champ had less self-controlled. He barged over and pushed against Nicole’s shoulder. “Are you trying to steal my girl?” 

Nicole looked up from her notebook, it took her minute to register Champ standing in front of her. “Waverly doesn’t belong to anyone.” 

Nicole sounded confident as she looked Champ in the eyes when she spoke. She barely budged from her spot. _She’s so cool_ Waverly thought. 

“You two together, that’s disgusting.” 

Nicole rolled her eyes and walked past him smiling at Waverly as she got closer. 

_It's centrifugal motion_  
_It's perpetual bliss_

Waverly's heart skipped a beat with every step.

“Hey! This isn’t over Haught!” 

Ignoring him, Nicole walked further down the hallway leaving him to stew. 

_It's that pivotal moment_  
_It's impossible_

“You ready to go?”

Waverly couldn't stop herself from wrapping her arms tightly around her girlfriend's neck holding a kiss against her lips, her knees so weak she thought she might fall, had Nicole not wrapped her arms snuggly around her. 

_This kiss, this kiss_  
_This kiss, this kiss_

“Absolutely.”

Waverly rolled the windows down so that the wind blew in her hair as they drove down the Ghost River Highway. She draped her arm out of the car doing the wave with her hand through the air. 

“Can we listen to music?”

“Can it be _anything_ but Taylor Swift?”

Waverly smiled “You know she’s coming to the city next month and I would love to go.”

Nicole groaned as she shifted into third. 

“It could be fun.”

“Yeah, uh huh, if you want me to die a slow and painful death then, yep.”

Waverly’s brow furrowed, and she crossed her arms looking out the window “You’re no fun.”

Her mind wandered off. She starting thinking about her date with Nicole and what might happen _after_ the date. Waverly was feeling nervous about it. She had never done _it_ with anyone. She had come close but always got too scared. Nicole didn’t scare her, but she still felt nervous _or_ excited. She couldn’t tell the difference.

Nicole smiled over at her the way she did sometimes, adoringly, tilting her head to one side, and her famous dimples prominent and irresistible “Are you pouting?”

Waverly ignored her. A smile spread a crossed her face. She scrolled through her phone, her smile growing wider, she plugged it into the aux jack and turned up the volume.

 _“cuz’ after all this time, I’m still into you.”_

“Waverly no.”

“You said _anything_ else…”  


Nicole groaned dramatically mumbling to herself “Yup, slow and painful death.”

Waverly flipped her hair back and forth using her phone as a microphone. _“I should be over all the butterflies...”_

She turned to Nicole with a serious face and placed her hand on her shoulder gripping her shirt. _“and baby even on our worst night.”_

Nicole just rolled her eyes still smiling. Waverly leaned over the center console and kissed Nicole on the cheek. “You’re my best baby.” 

 

Nicole’s last softball game was today, and Waverly wanted to be there to watch Nicole beat Samantha Bakers batting record.

Waverly spent the afternoon painting a banner, longer than the length of her arms, for Nicole’s game. It said 'LET'S GO DEVILS MAKE IT HAUGHT' in bright blue glitter letters. 

“Sup’ dork.” Wynonna flopped down on the couch with her feet up on the coffee table and cracked open a beer. “You’re not actually bringing that to the game, are you?” 

“Yes, I am. I want to be supportive.”

“Well, I’m not going to help you hold it if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Waverly rolled her eyes. “Nicole’s your best friend, don’t you want to support her?”

Wynonna chugged some beer. “Is it not good enough that I am going to sit there and suffer through the entire game for her?”

“I know you care about her Wynonna, why do you always have to be such a jerk?”

Wynonna’s face softened “You’re right baby girl.” She pushed up off the couch bending down to kiss the top of Waverly’s head before walking out of the den. “I’ll hold the stupid sign with you.”

Waverly smiled “Do you want to help me finish painting it? There’s glitter!”

“Nooope.” 

 

Waverly climbed up into the bleacher with Chrissy. Chrissy was slurping obnoxiously on the straw of her Pepsi. Wynonna plopped down behind them with Doc, hanging his arm around her lazily. Waverly held her banner folded up neatly excited to show Nicole. Music played in the speakers facing the bleachers signaling the start of the game. 

Nicole stepped out of the dugout fitting her helmet on her head. She was wearing her light blue softball Jersey, Blue Devils written a crossed the front. It was tucked into tight white pinned striped pants that Waverly had a hard time moving her eyes away from. 

Waverly choked. “Woah.” 

Nicole looked over and met her gaze. She smiled big at her while Waverly waved cheerfully. 

Waverly starred at Nicole as she tapped her bat on the sides of each cleat while she waited. Waverly had no idea why the players did that, but she couldn’t help but noticed how cute her girlfriend looked when she did. 

Waverly's attention was redirected by Wynonna kicking the back of her seat. “I can see you drooling from here.” 

Waverly frowned and stuck out her tongue. 

After Samantha's ball shot out Nicole slipped on her gloves carefully adjusting the straps and walked up to plate. Her weight distributed on the balls of her feet and knees bent, the bat ready. Samantha made it safely to first. 

The pitcher wound up her arm and released the ball. Nicole swung the bat smoothly. The _CLACK_ of rubber against alloy sent her running. She ran past 1st and kept going, Samantha now on 3rd. 

Waverly looked up trying to find the ball but couldn’t see it. 

Nicole ran past 2nd. Samantha made it to home. 

Waverly caught sight of the ball and it appeared Nicole did too. The ball was passed to 2nd base as Nicole was running to 3rd. Nicole slid down on her legs in a dirt cloud landing on 3rd base seconds before the opposing team member caught the ball. 

Waverly and Chrissy jumped and cheered, Waverly holding one end of her sign, Wynonna frowning with the other. She excitedly watched Nicole hit again and again. Wynonna and Doc even joined in the cheering when Nicole hit a home run. 

Nicole’s dad boomed the loudest from two seats up. “Go Haught! That's my kid!” 

Blue Devils one 17-10

Waverly ran down the bleachers to greet Nicole as soon as she came out of the dugout carrying her bat over her shoulder. 

She threw her arms around her. 

“Waves I’m all sweaty.”

“I don’t even care.” She jumped on her toes and planted a kiss on Nicole’s cheek ruffling her hair at the same time. “You’re also covered in dirt.”

“Yeah.” Nicole laughed.

“So, did you beat Samantha?”

Nicole shifted “I don’t know yet. Coach is going to tally it up and let me know tomorrow.”

“Well I’m proud of you baby!” she grabbed her around the waist hugging her one last time. 

“I better go clean up. I have a hot date tonight.” Nicole grinned.

“Oh, do you?”

Nicole kissed her forehead before walking away. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Waverly took a moment to watch, fascinated with her girlfriend’s butt in tight pinstriped pants. She wouldn’t complain if she wore them on their date, dirt and all.

 

Waverly nervously fixed her hair and refixed it. She was excited for her date with Nicole but couldn't shake the nerves in the bottom of her stomach. She looked at herself one last time in the mirror running her hands down her dress to flatten out any creases. Satisfied she skipped down the stairs where Wynonna was waiting. 

“You look beautiful baby girl.”

“Thanks Wy.” She hugged her sister before stepping out the door.

Nicole stood outside by her car. Waverly lit up like Christmas tree when she saw her.

“You’re wearing a tie.” Waverly smiled gently tugging on the mat black tie laying over Nicole’s blue button-up shirt. 

“You’re wearing a dress.”

“I know but I wear dresses all the time.” Waverly continued to play with the tie wrapping it around her hand then straightening it out again. “but you… I have never seen you in a tie.” 

“Oh, should I take it off then? Am I too dressed up?” Nicole joked.

“No, silly...I think this looks sexy on you.” She reached up and kissed Nicole once on the lips.

Nicole smiled “Are you ready?”

Nicole pulled into the parking lot of the Purgatory Community College.

“Waves what’s this?”

“Trust me.”

Waverly climbed out of the car and lead Nicole to a dilapidated looking tower made primarily of concrete with a large metal door on the side of it. The door lamp was burnt out, so it was hard to see as they approached. 

Waverly pushed on the big heavy door and slipped inside. She turned around taking a few steps backward so that she could see her girlfriends face when she followed through the door. 

Nicole ducked her head in first. Her face immediately lit up, as her wide eyes studied the bright sparkling stars spread a crossed the dome ceiling. Almost every star visible from Earth could be seen splayed out in a digital universe. She walked the parameter with her head back and jaw slack.

“I didn’t know the community college had a planetarium.”

Waverly glided a crossed the room to meet Nicole taking her hand. “No one really uses it. Do you like it?”

“Wow...Waves this...this is amazing” She pivoted slowly on her heal. “but how did you get in?”

“Weell…”

Nicole laughed “Wynonna picked the lock?”

“Wynonna picked the lock.” 

Waverly jumped up on her toes excitedly and ran over to a panel on the wall. She pressed a few buttons on a touch screen and above the night sky zoomed in on a ‘W’ pattern made of stars. 

“It’s Cassiopeia.” She smiled proud of herself. “You know, you can always see it because it goes right through the milky way.”

Nicole walked over to her and drew her close while Waverly’s fingers tangled in her hair.

“This is perfect,” Nicole said. She kissed Waverly sweetly.

“Oh! and look,” Waverly gestured to a laid-out blanket in the middle of the room with a picknick basket on one corner. She kneeled on the blanket and opened the basket. “I couldn’t bring hot food, unfortunately, but I made sandwiches and brought sparkling cider.”

She unloaded the cider and several sandwiches setting them on the blanket. “I didn’t know what kind you would like so I made ham and cheese, roast beef, ham no ch…”

“Waves those all sound great.” Nicole kneeled next to her. “Thank you.”

Nicole excitedly showed Waverly her favorite constellations and where they got their name. Waverly leaned back against her chest listening intently while Nicole rests her arms around her waist holding her close.

“And that’s you.” 

“Me?”

“That’s the Virgo constellation just there. Do you see it?” 

“Next to the big dipper?”

“Yeah, that’s it. The Virgo constellation. It’s the second largest constellation in the sky.”

“You’re so smart Nicole.” Waverly raised her arm over Nicole’s neck and played with her hair. Nicole leaned into her kissing under her chin softly in just the right place to speed up her heart. 

“Can we go now...to your house?”

Nicole smiled kissing her cheek. "Yes." 

 

Nicole led Waverly upstairs to her room turning on the bedroom light for her. “I have to go to the bathroom I’ll be right back." Her hand slid away leaving Waverly in the doorway alone.

She walked over to the table next to Nicole’s bed. Nicole’s New York Yankees hat sat on top of it next to the lamp. She brushed her thumb over the visor, the worn fabric rough against her skin.  
Waverly turned to the bed walking slowly passed it with her hand dragging a crossed it wrinkling the fabric of Nicole’s navy-blue comforter. She knew underneath the sheets were powder blue.

She sat down at the foot of the bed bouncing a little and grabbing her ring out of habit. She studied it rolling it in her hand. Curiously she slid it over her ring finger. It was comically too big for any one of her fingers, but it still made her smile. 

With a heavy sigh, she sank back into Nicole’s bed. 

Nicole flopped down beside her so that their shoulders touched. Waverly looked over at her.

Nicole smiled “How are you?”

“I’m perfect, how are you?” 

“I’m with you, so I’m perfect too.” Nicole laced her fingers with Waverly’s and kissed the top of her hand. 

Waverly sat with her like that for a few minutes listening to the sound of heart beating like a marching band before she rolled over propping herself up on one elbow. She pulled at Nicole’s tie teasing, then slowly working the knot loose with shaking hands until the tie slipped off her neck.

Waverly’s fingertips touched Nicole’s buttons feeling them, watching Nicole’s reaction to her touching them. She kissed Nicole’s neck as she undid the first button. Then her lips as she undid the second button. 

Nicole wrapped her hand in the wild waves of Waverly’s hair and held her with her lips while Waverly unthreaded each button until her shirt opened. 

Waverly outlined the curves of Nicole’s breast, rubbing her thumb just above the top edge of her bra and down over the muscles in her stomach, trailing over the hem of Nicole’s pants, watching Nicole wiggle in response.

She took a deep breath and pulled herself further up the bed daring Nicole to follow. She was nervous, but she felt certain this is what she wanted to do. 

Nicole crawled down the bed on are her knees shedding her shirt as she went. She dropped herself down over Waverly looking at her thoughtfully.

“Are you sure?”

“So sure.”

Nicole reached for something on her nightstand that Waverly couldn't quite see but she could hear the music.

"Taylor Swift?" She laughed "but you hate Taylor Swift."

"But _you_ love her and _I_ love you."

Waverly closed her eyes and leaned her head back into the pillow, exposing her neck to Nicole, who pressed her lips softly from her chin to the crook of her neck. She moved to the other side of Waverly's neck kissing more firmly this time, nipping it occasionally, Waverly sighing into her ear. All the impatience, all the frustration, all the conflict, and confusion dissipated the moment Nicole’s lips brushed hers with an unimaginable tenderness, and it felt like the first time. 

\- _one look, dark room_  
_meant just, for you_ \- 

Nicole's lips moved over Waverly's gracefully, her tongue dancing against them. Waverly slid her arms over Nicole’s bare shoulders holding her steady, wondering if Nicole’s heart was doing summersaults too. 

Nicole slid her hand from Waverly's mid-thigh up to her breast, lifting her dress over her hip with just her fingertips, creating a tightness in Waverly's legs. Nicole's kisses grew harder swallowing Waverly's gasp, as Waverly rolled up her hips, fingers tracing up and down Nicole's neck and in her hair. 

Waverly’s breathing was unsteady now. She wanted to feel Nicole against her. She lifted the hem of her dress, Nicole watching as more of her became visible, “Take this off.”

Nicole pulled the dress over her head and let it fall to the floor never leaving Waverly’s gaze. Waverly slid the straps of her bra down slowly and it disappeared over the edge of the bed, exposing her breasts. She looked at Nicole inviting her to make the next move. 

Nicole brushed the hair from Waverly's face tucking it behind her ears then pressed down on her into the mattress. Holding Waverly's breast in her hand, she ran her thumb over Waverly’s nipple, while Waverley squirmed underneath her. She dropped her head replacing fingers with her mouth, slipping her tongue over and sucking on the soft skin, coaxing a whimper from Waverly’s throat. 

Nicole returned to Waverly’s mouth, caressing her tongue over Waverly’s lips until she opened for her, allowing Nicole to kiss her deeper. Waverly breathed her in, her tongue hot and sweet like sparkling cider. Waverly's wrapped her arms around Nicole's waist, her feet slipping on the fabric of the sheets as she tried to push herself closer, Nicole's jeans rough against her skin.

The button of Nicole’s jeans was warm from the heat of her body. Waverly pulled it loose. The zipper came down next. She tucked her fingers under the jeans and ran her hands over the heat she had felt before. Nicole's hips rocked against her making her groan against Waverly' cheek. She slid her hands to Nicole's backside squeezing and pulling her closer.

“Can these come off?” 

Nicole flopped over on the mattress willing removing her jeans. Waverly looked over at her. Nicole had her foot in her lap as she struggled to pull the jeans off her ankle.

“It’s stuck,” she said.

Waverly laughed. “Well, that’s what you get for wearing skinny jeans.”

Nicole growled in frustration, Waverly sat up and grabbed the bottom cuff of her jeans yanking them over her ankle. 

“There,” she breathed.

Waverly admired the curves of her girlfriends’ body, the definition of her abs, her pale skin glowing against the navy blue comforter. She wanted to see more. “This too.” She pointing at Nicole’s bra. 

Nicole removed it quickly, revealing herself almost entirely to Waverly. Seeing Nicole that way shot a startling jolt through her body and she needed Nicole's weight against her. She moved a crossed the bed until she was practically in Nicole's lap pulling her hair until their mouths met. Their tongues brushed together excitedly, Nicole's hands sliding up Waverly's body. Nicole pulled Waverly closer to her hips, but closer wasn't close enough. 

Nicole pushed against Waverly fumbling back down to the mattress. She placed her leg between Waverly’s, pressing firmly against her, the pressure just enough to stir something inside. Breathless, their bodies rocked in sync with each other, the soft fabric of underwear the only thing separating them. 

Waverly brushed her hands up hard against Nicole’s chest feeling her nipples rub a crossed her hands, grabbing and kissing anywhere should could, then dragging her fingers back down Nicole’s back. Nicole groaned into her neck, lifting Waverly's leg up over her hip and pressed harder against her, forcing Waverly's eyes closed and gasp. 

Nicole teased with her hand running between Waverly’s thighs stopping short. Her hand tiptoeing over the fabric of her underwear before retreating, Waverly's hips shuttered in her absence. 

"Are you sure?" she whispered through shaking breath. 

Waverly nodded once lifting her hips for Nicole to remove them “Yes.” 

Nicole slid down Waverly’s underwear smoothly. She kissed up Waverly's stomach from her hipbone, to her ribs, to just below her breast. Waverly squirmed impatiently underneath her. Nicole's kisses were open and long but became slower, her breathing heavier against Waverly's lips and Waverly could feel her body shaking above her. 

She rolled her hips up again, reminding Nicole of what was there and what she needed.

Nicole’s hand slid clumsily between their bodies, touching her in a way she had never been touched before. Waverly’s body arched when she found what she was looking for. She struggled to catch her breath as Nicole touched a sensitive spot, shattering her entire existence with toe-curling intensity and leaving her feeling vulnerable. Her fingers tangling tighter in Nicole's hair. 

Nicole kissed and nipped a line down her chin and over her collarbone leaving a trail of red blotches “I love you.” She whispered.

_I love you too_ , but words were not what came out of her mouth, she answered with her hips instead, rocking against Nicole, finding the friction she craved. 

Waverly gripped Nicole’s shoulders with her fingers pressing in hard enough to bruise. She thought she should let go but the friction turned to overwhelming pressure. Her muscles in her body flexed searching for relief, letting go wasn’t an option.

She wanted more but Nicole seemed unsure like she was waiting for permission.

 _“Nicole, I need you.”_ The words came out soft like a whisper, almost nonexistent, but urgent. 

Waverly bit her lip in anticipation as she waited for Nicole to find her way. 

That was enough reassurance for Nicole, Waverly lifted up to meet her and cried out from one touch, one slip of her fingers. 

Waverly rocked her hips faster until they found a satisfying rhythm, feeling herself tightening around Nicole, her nails digging into her shoulders. Nicole kissed Waverly harder, swallowing her gasps as they became more frequent and louder. 

The ache between Waverly’s thighs became unbearable, she squirmed desperately, her heel pressing into the back of Nicole’s thigh, driving her closer to the edge, whimpering for more. 

She instinctively grabbed Nicole’s hips pulling her in, pushing her harder against her, and it was just enough. Her breath quickened, and she threw her head back. 

The pressure rose until it had nowhere to go, and she surrendered. It spilled over her like a roller coaster, butterflies in her stomach, breathless, all she could do was hold on tightly until it passed. And with one last cry, everything was still, except Nicole panting against her lips. 

Waverly relaxed into the mattress feeling weak, Nicole collapsed over her body still shaking, the weight of her was reassuring. 

Nicole nuzzled into her neck kissing it softly “Was that okay?”

Waverly nodded still unable to speak. She ran her hands through Nicole’s hair while she caught her breath. 

_This was worth waiting for._


	8. Wouldn't it be nice if we were older

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole battles her mom for the right to sleep over at her 'best friends' house despite her girlfriend sharing the same roof. Somethings wrong with Wynonna?

Nicole slung her backpack over her shoulders, creeping down the stairs to the doorway quietly. The floorboard creaked underfoot, and she froze looking around the corner. Feeling safe she took another step, holding her breath, her hand almost on the doorknob. 

“Nicole?”

Nicole jumped, her heart sank to the floor. She cleared her throat trying to sound confident. “Yeah mom?”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to-um…sleep over at Wynonna’s house?”

She wasn’t lying exactly, she had been trying to stay at the Earp sisters house all week, but not for Wynonna. She wanted to be with Waverly, alone, and to have another opportunity to hold her in her arms. They had been sneaking off to make out whenever they could. In the janitor’s closet at school, the break room at work on nights they closed together, or in Nicole’s car, but they never had an opportunity to do _it_ again. 

"Are you asking me if you're going to Wynonna's or are you telling me?"

Mrs. Haught came into the room, arms crossed, with _the_ look. It gave Nicole chills, _that_ look meant she better tread lightly. It meant ‘I know all your secrets’ don’t bother lying. It meant the answer is probably no. Nicole shifted rubbing her thumb compulsively over the strap of her backpack sitting snuggly on her shoulder, considering her next words carefully. 

“What?” That wasn’t the right word. It didn’t sound confident or convincing. It came out snarky and suggestive. Nicole wished she could suck the word back in, but there it hung in the air for her mother to interpret, dissect, and reach a verdict. 

“You know what Nicole Haught.” 

Nicole's body stiffened as the words settled in her chest, almost painfully, digesting them, what _did_ she know? What did her mother _know_?

__

“Waverly Earp is 16 years old.”

Nicole’s eyes darted up to meet her mothers, heat rushing to her cheeks, her mouth dry. She felt this statement had no relevance. Waverly wasn’t a child, and neither was she. 

“So! She will be 17 in less than 4 months!” 

Mrs. Haught brushed aside Nicole’s outburst with the wave of her hand. “You understand why I am not comfortable having Waverly sleeping in your bed or having you sleep over at ‘Wynonna’s’?” 

“No.” Nicole did understand. She knew that if Waverly were a boy, her mother wouldn’t let her stay over or visa versa. Sex was sex bottom line. Yet still she felt justified in defending her right to sleep over at the Earp sisters, and regardless she felt it would be unfair for her mother to deny her that. 

“I can’t help it if my girlfriend lives with my best friend. What am I supposed to do? Never sleep over at the Earp’s house!” Nicole paused to catch her breath, her voice shaking, “We’ve been having sleepovers since we were 5!”

“I am not saying you can’t have sleepovers,” Mrs. Haught’s arms loosened, “I am just asking you to understand that the situation has changed and that the rules have to change too.” 

“Can I go to Wynonna’s or what?” Nicole lost her patience. She knew she was saying all the wrong things but by now the damage was done. There was no point in arguing with her mother, her mother would win. 

Mrs. Haught sighed, turning back into the kitchen, waving her hand dismissively, clearly reciprocating Nicole’s desire to avoid a fight. There is no fight like a Haught fight. “You can go Nicole, but just do me a favor, try not to get her pregnant while you’re there.” 

“Ha-Ha” Nicole sassed. She ran out the door before her mother changed her mind or before another stupid thing came out of her mouth and made things worse. Nicole knew this conversation wasn’t over, but for now, she smiled. She was going to see Waverly. 

_***_

Nicole scooped out two large scoops of ice cream into a small cup, the ice cream peaking over the brim, the sides already starting to melt from the heat of June. 

“Is that enough?” 

Her and Waverly decided it would be fun to have root beer floats and watch a scary movie, like a date night. Something they had both been wanting since _that_ night, their first night together. Nicole couldn’t stop thinking about how her sheets still smelled of Waverly, or how they had laid tangled together wrapped safely under her blankets. 

Waverly had asked for the bonus blanket like she always did. Nicole thought it was a little too much and spent the night self-consciously sweating between the weight of the blanket and the warmth of Waverly’s body. For something so small she sure put off a lot of heat. None the less Nicole missed her being there. 

Waverly stood next to Nicole leaning her back against the table. She bit her lip through a mischievous smile, hooking her finger into Nicole’s shirt, pulling it enough to reveal a tiny purple mark that she had given Nicole in the bathroom at school. 

“No,” Waverly said.

Nicole pulled at her red baseball-tee letting her skin breath a little, trying not to reveal her desperation triggered by Waverly's double meaning. She knew Waverly was thinking about _it_ too, or at least it seemed like it, and she did seem to get some satisfaction in tormenting Nicole over it. 

Nicole dropped in another scoop into the cup. “How about now?” 

Waverly's eyes lit up, she slipped her arms around Nicole’s waist squeezing her close, nuzzling her way under Nicole’s arm. “That will do.” 

Nicole grabbed the root beer off the counter, spun off the lid with a hiss, and poured it into two cups of ice cream, letting it fizz into a frothy layer on top. She plopped in a spoon and handed one to Waverly. 

Wynonna came in through the front door walking past the entrance to the kitchen appearing to be in a rotten mood. She made a direct line for the stairs avoiding the eyes of Nicole and Waverly. 

“Wynonna!” Waverly called. Wynonna stopped and turned her head almost mechanically, and answered her sister with a head nod. Her deadpanned expression made Nicole's stomach tighten in knots for reason's she couldn’t explain. 

“Do you want to have root beer floats with us?” 

Wynonna grunted and took a few more steps up the stairs, dragging her feet a little as she went. Nicole could see the look of disappointment swell in Waverly’s eyes, tears just waiting to stream down her face at the moment of acknowledgment. 

Wynonna had been moody lately and barely talked to Waverly. It affected her deeply. Wynonna was the only family she had left, aside from Gus, and they were really attached to each other because of it. 

In an act to spare her girlfriend's hurt feelings, she set aside her plans for a date night and pleaded, trying to get Wynonna to come and spend time with her and Waverly. Nicole hadn’t really seen much of Wynonna either and wanted to know what was going on. 

“Come on Wynonna, we're going to watch a scary movie.” 

Wynonna looked down at them from the staircase, her eyes almost as sad as her sisters, and let out a sigh. That was something Nicole rarely saw on her. She nodded her head softly walking back down the stairs, her arms hanging heavily from her shoulders. Nicole studied the older Earp as she came closer, taking note of the dark circles under her eyes, and the lack of swagger in her step. Nicole starred racking her brain for any reason Wynonna might be upset. 

Nicole slid her a root beer float and started preparing another for herself. 

Wynonna grabbed the root beer float and prodded it with a spoon silently before taking a bite. “So…what movie are you guys watching.” 

“Saw,” Waverly said.

“Which one?”

The root beer bottle hissed again shooting particles of carbonation up Nicole’s nose making her cough once. “Saw 6.”

“I hate that one, I don’t like the carousel scene.” Wynonna thought for a moment pausing with her spoon still in her mouth, pulling it out slowly cleaning off every drop of ice cream, “What about Buckout road?”

Waverly squealed. “No, that one gave me nightmares!”

“Scare house?” Wynonna suggested.

Nicole shook her head taking a bite of her own root beer float. “Too weird.” 

They all thought quietly, the sound of spoons hitting glass tracked the silence. Waverly spun her ring in her hand, Nicole drew circles on the table with her finger, and Wynonna prodded at her ice cream submerging it under the root beer. 

Nicole had a thought. “It?”

Wynonna took a large bite, letting the ice cream spill over to her lips before swallowing. “Old one or the new one?”

“New.”

“Yeah okay.” Wynonna shrugged.

“Waves?”

“Works for me?”

*** 

The den was dark, it smelled of popcorn and sugar. Waverly sat in between her sister and her girlfriend, leaving her as the designated popcorn holder. She balanced the overfilled bowl in her lap while having one hand firmly gripping Nicole’s thigh in anticipation, and the other hand laced with Wynonna’s. The couch was a mess of blankets, popcorn, and nervous tension. 

Nicole was sucking on a lifesaver hoping she didn’t get startled and choke to death. She came to a grape one. “Waves you want this lifesaver?”

Waverly shook her head, eyes wide and glued to the tv. “Nu-uh.”

Nicole sighed. She didn’t like to waste things, but grape was the worst. Waverly usually ate them for her. “Wynonna?”

Wynonna peaked over the blanket she had tucked under her chin, her face still telling a secret that she was not yet ready to share. “Okay.”

Wynonna plopped the lifesaver in her mouth and returned to her position huddle next to sister's arm. 

The eerie music in the background made Waverly’s grip tighten on Nicole’s thigh. Nicole set the popcorn on the table and pulled Waverly closer to her side protecting her from the fictional dangers. Wynonna spread out more over the couch resting her head on Waverly’s lap while Waverly stroked her hair lovingly.

Nicole's eyes narrowed. Wynonna was the least affectionate person she knew, she was barely even affectionate to Waverly, yet there she was wrapped up in blankets on her little sisters lap accepting her affection.

Waverly’s body tensed against Nicole’s, the projector in the movie ‘IT’ gained a mind of its own, Pennywise appearing in the images, getting closer, and closer. He disappeared, then BAM! There he was.

All three girls jumped and screamed in unison, huddling together tighter now, swallowing popcorn absentmindedly, Nicole still trying not to choke on Lifesavers.

When the movie was over Waverly remained wrapped in Nicole’s arms with her sister tucked up close to her. All three scared to move or sleep or be alone. No one spoke, just wide blinking eyes watching the credits roll, hoping nothing else popped out of the screen. 

Wynona sat up breaking the silence. “Well, that wasn’t so scary. Time for bed I think.” She untangled herself from her sister and the heap of blankets and walked towards the stairs. She turned with her hand on the entryway and grinned. 

“Sleep tight nerds, watch out for the clowns.” She winked, and she was gone.

*** 

Waverly climbed in her bed pulling her blankets up to her chin. She smiled, her face barely visible, but Nicole could see it her eyes. Nicole stood frozen at the foot of the bed feeling like an idiot. She shoved her hands into her pockets inadvertently pushing her sweatpants down a half of an inch. They hadn’t done anything except kiss since last Friday which felt like forever ago, and Nicole was eager to do _it_ again, but she didn’t want to assume Waverly felt the same way. 

“Are you coming?”

Nicole’s heart fluttered but she masked it in a smile, flopping herself down on the bed, clumsily climbing under the covers next to Waverly. 

Waverly rolled over to face her, their noses almost touching. Nicole tried hard to swallow the ever-growing lump in her throat, but it wouldn’t budge. The distance between them was small but painful

Nicole held still letting Waverly set the pace. Waverly angled her chin just enough to make their lips brush lightly, that was all it took to make Nicole’s eyes flutter shut. 

Waverly cupped her hands over Nicole’s jaw, sighing into a firmer kiss. She slid her hands down to Nicole’s waist pulling at her sweatpants until Nicole understood and climbed over her.

Nicole propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at her girlfriends’ hazel green eyes trying to read her expression. Her pupils were dilated to where most of the green was missing except a thin little ring along the outer edge.

“Are you sure?’ 

Waverly nodded her head enthusiastically “Yes.” 

The word was swallowed in a kiss. Nicole’s body shook with adrenalin, tightening her stomach in knots, tearing her apart with an overwhelming sense of urgency. Her mouth opening over Waverly’s, closing on her lips, one at a time, getting lost in her kisses. This time it felt different. 

Waverly tangled her fingers into Nicole’s hair pulling her down into a deeper kiss, holding her firmly, not letting Nicole come up for air, her tongue pressing forward to meet Nicole’s pushing against each other.

Nicole’s hands wandered with a mind of their own finding their way to Waverly’s waist, undoing the knot in the front of her t-shirt so that the wrinkled fabric hung loosely over her stomach. Her knuckles brushed up Waverly’s sides lifting her shirt, skimming the soft fabric of her bra. Waverly sat up enough for Nicole to pull it over her head and toss it aside. 

They were moving so fast. Nicole could hardly process what was happening. Her hands and her mouth were everywhere, she couldn’t keep track, the knots in her stomach tightened pulling her lower and deeper. 

Waverly fumbled with the clasps of her own bra, when it finally unclipped, Nicole was ready to pull it away. She made a conscious effort to slow down as her mouth brushed over Waverly’s breast outlining their soft curves, then moved down her ribs and over her stomach.

Nicole nipped over Waverly’s hip bones, shaking as she fingered the fabric of Waverly’s pink leggings. Her heart was pounding in her ears, she wanted to explore, her mind dropping lower.

Waverly sighed heavily hooking her thumb in the waistband pulling it down past her hip almost to her thigh. Nicole frantically jumped at the opportunity to remove the leggings entirely, leaving only Waverly’s underwear. 

Nicole hesitated there, lost in the delicate pink lace, brushing it momentarily with her thumb, before deciding it was too soon. 

She returned to Waverly’s mouth biting her lower lip sucking it into her mouth, pressing their hips together. Waverly groaned, gripping her girlfriend’s lower back pulling Nicole harder against her

Waverly untied the string of Nicole’s sweatpants and yanked them down to her knees, giving the impression that she was just as impatient as Nicole.

Nicole wasted no time pulling them off kicking her legs wildly to free her feet. She tried to focus on kissing, but her mind was still lost in a haze of delicate pink lace.

Waverly gripped the hem of Nicole’s shirt, lifting it over her head, while Nicole pulled her arms out of it and threw it to the side like it was on fire. 

She traced the outline of Waverly’s underwear with her finger, then her tongue feeling the warmth radiating off them, shuddering at the possibilities. She felt Waverly’s hands slide down her back unclasping her bra letting it fall. Nicole tossed it away, kissing Waverly between her thighs and over her underwear shaking with curiosity. 

She rubbed her thumb over Waverly’s hip bones, scraping her teeth a crossed them, trying to be patient waiting for Waverly’s permission. Nicole had been thinking about Waverly’s naked body tangled in her sheets, the broken gasps of her name in her ear as she touched her all week, but this was new, more personal even. 

Waverly lifted her hips off the bed inviting Nicole to remove her underwear, her heart somersaulted in her chest. Nicole held her breath trying not to rush, removing them gently, touching them as if they were gold. 

Shaking from anticipation, she lifted Waverly’s thighs over her shoulders so that she was facing what she wanted, what she had been obsessing over, but she waited looking up at Waverly’s face. 

“Yes.” Waverly nodded, the word soft and strained, Nicole could barely hear it over her own breathing. Her heart went into overdrive as she explored, first with her eyes, then with a kiss, her mouth pressing against Waverly in a whole new way. It was soft and hot in her mouth, her eyes closed both relieved and nervous. 

Waverly gasped at the first touch of Nicole’s tongue trailing along the seam of her. Nicole took her time now, uncertain of how to proceed, looking again to Waverly for answers. Waverly rocked her hips against her, pressing them closer together, encouraging her. 

Nicole’s tongue slid deeper, greeted by a hot wet sweetness, her eyes closed tight, gliding her tongue delicately, Waverly whimpering when Nicole rolled over a sensitive spot. Nicole repeated the motion developing a rhythm matched with the rocking of Waverly’s hips, Waverly tightening her fingers into Nicole’s hair. 

Nicole grabbed on to Waverly’s thighs for her support feeling lightheaded, like she might slip away. The muscles behind her jaw were catching fire, she had never done this before and she couldn’t tell if she was doing it right.

Waverly buried her face further into her pillow as her whimpers became louder turning to moans. She pressed her heels into Nicole’s back, lifting off the bed, and let out a muffled cry barely concealed by the pillow. Nicole slowed down when Waverly’s body relaxed again, passing over her with her tongue one last time making Waverly twitch.

“That was so cool,” Nicole said flopping down on the pillow next to her girlfriend. She pulled her close to her side. 

Waverly pushed her self up enough to press a kiss against Nicole's neck. “I want to make you feel like that.”

Nicole gulped, her body tensed up. She wanted to let Waverly but had an unexplainable hesitation. The thought of being exposed and vulnerable like that made her shudder. 

"How about next time," Nicole said.

Waverly rolled over tangling her body with Nicole's, nuzzling closer into her neck. "Okay, whenever you're ready."

***


	9. We'll Be Drinking Margaritas By The Sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly insist that Nicole and Wynonna need to spend more time together. Nicole finds herself in a predicament outside the liquor store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this chapter took so long. I couldn't figure out how to write it in a way that I liked it and my writing style has changed so going back to this writing to complete it was tough but this is how it turned out. Also, I was listening to sabotage by the Beastie boys on repeat when I wrote parts of this which probably caused some of the problems I was having. Anyways here it is.

Nicole laid sprawled out on the floor, eye level with a checker piece she was spinning between her fingers. Gus had left early to open Shorty's and wouldn't be back until the afternoon leaving just the three girls to run the house. Nicole's mom was visiting her grandparents so Nicole was free to do what she wanted. She was still glowing from the night before and didn't want to be separated from Waverly. Nicole intended on being lazy all day, playing games, and watching movies with her. 

“King me!” Waverly said. Her lips tightened into a smirk as she leaned back on her arms stretched out behind her. 

“That’s your third king!”

“Well, maybe you should pay better attention.” 

Waverly was still wearing her pajama shorts, they were pink with polka dots and rose dangerously high up her thighs when she sat crisscrossed on the floor. Nicole tried to look away, but her eyes only shifted to Waverly’s exposed mid-drift peaking out below her tank top, or the thin straps hugging Waverly’s bare shoulders. Checkers got lost in the background as did most things around Waverly Earp. 

“I think you’re cheating.”

“No way!” 

Nicole sat up crawling toward Waverly, she stopped, wincing at the sharp ridges of a black checker biting into her knee. She pushed it aside with the rest of the checkers with a little more force than necessary causing one to roll under the bookshelf.

“I don’t know if I can trust you,” Nicole said nuzzling against Waverly’s neck. She kissed her once below the ear.

“Is that _so?”_

Nicole hovered over Waverly’s lips almost close enough to touch, she held there feeling Waverly’s breath roll up against her mouth, still sweet with Sunny D' from breakfast. Waverly squeaked, Nicole’s fingers tapping up her ribs sent her into a fit of laughter before she could close the gap.

“Nicole!” Waverly squirmed helplessly on the floor. Nicole tumbled over her girlfriend catching herself on her elbows. She dropped her head brushing her lips over Waverly’s, holding the bottom one gently, before letting it go. Nicole's breath came out shaky, remembering how Waverly's skin pressed hot against hers and how the tension at her waist grew with every muffled whimper. 

She remained close, arching a sly brow, their lips still touching, “Tell me again how you’re not cheating.”

Waverly cupped Nicole’s face smiling into a kiss. She let her tongue slid into Nicole’s mouth, pulling her closer until Waverly’s body pressed the length of hers. Nicole's hand grazed up Waverly's side disappearing under her tank top, her thumb tracing over each rib before reaching the soft cotton of Waverly's bra. Waverly wrapped her arms around Nicole's neck pulling her deeper into their kiss. 

“Oh, come on!” Nicole jerked back removing her hand from Waverly's bra. Wynonna loomed in the entryway holding a bowl of cereal, her brows knitted into a frown. She grunted stepping over Nicole and her sister laying on the floor. “Haught get off my baby sister before I kick your ass.”

She plopped down on the couch, with her feet on the coffee table, and turned on the tv. The Adventure time theme song played in the background, her eyes focused intently, spoon ready to chow down.

"You’re dressed kind of early for a Saturday.” Nicole said pulling herself to her knees.

“I don’t sleep in pants Haught, so I thought I was doing everyone a courtesy.”

Nicole cleared her throat, she had vivid memories of Wynonna running around in her underwear during sleepovers when they were kids. Wynonna refused to sleep in anything but her underwear despite Gus's and Waverly's protests. Nicole shrugged in agreement.

“Well that’s a first.” Waverly chimed.

Nicole sat down next to Wynonna on the couch with Waverly snuggled into her side. Nicole loved more than anything having Waverly in her arms. She felt warm pressed against her, with the soft waves of brown hair tickling her neck and her arm, and the sweet smell of fresh flowers dancing under her nose. Nicole put her arm over Waverly pulling her closer, feeling her body relaxing into the couch, despite the loud crunching of Wynonna and her cereal.

Wynonna’s face twisted up, “Hell is this what I am going to have to live with now. You two attached at the hip…or the face.” Milk dribbled down her chin as she spoke. She wiped it away with the back of her hand and turned up the volume mumbling something only audible to herself.

Nicole glanced at Waverly, she shrugged with a half smile, lacing their fingers together and making soft circles over the outside of Waverly's hand.

Wynonna laughed obnoxiously at Adventure Time speaking through mouths full of cereal “It’s so dirty! Kids don’t even know! Dorks.” She glanced over at Nicole narrowing her eyes, her mouth fell open. 

“What’s that on your neck?”

She dropped her spoon in the cereal bowl with a clank. Nicole flinched when Wynonna yanked on the collar of her shirt.

“Ow! Let go!” Wynonna’s grip tightened pinching the skin of Nicole’s neck. Nicole leaned away, smooshing Waverly into the couch trying to squirm out of it.

“Don’t think I’m okay with you schtupping my baby sister!”

“Can you not say _baby_ sister in the same sentence as…?”

“Wynonna! Leave her alone!”

Wynonna's eyes blinked at Waverly, her expression soften and she released Nicole’s collar returning to her cereal and cartoons with a sigh, shaking her head. Nicole had not really talked to Wynonna much since she started dating Waverly. She was beginning to feel nervous that Wynonna wasn’t overly pleased with the situation. Were those sad eyes about this? Was Wynonna mad that she was dating Waverly? Nicole sunk further into the couch, her mouth suddenly dry, rubbing her neck where Wynona had pinched it. 

“Well, on that note, I’m going to get something to drink.” Waverly gave Nicole’s thigh a gentle pat, sliding out of her arms and off the couch, disappearing into the kitchen. Nicole peered over into Wynonna's cereal taking note of the watered down caramel color that shouldn't be associated with fruit loops.

“Wynonna is there whiskey in your fruit loops?”

Wynonna shrugged, mumbling “I dunno.” 

Nicole rolled her eyes. They sat silently together watching cartoons. Nicole picked at a loose thread on her sweatpants ignoring Wynonna loudly slurping down the milk-whiskey combo from her bowl before setting it down on the coffee table. 

Nicole's phone chimed. 

WAVERLY: Hi Cutie. <3 

Nicole smiled, angling her body and tilted her phone away, so Wynonna couldn’t see. 

NICOLE: Hey :) 

WAVERLY: Come here? ;) 

The phone was ripped from Nicole’s hands before she could respond “Can’t you guys stop talking to each other for just one second!”

Wynonna stood up holding the phone out of Nicole’s reach. 

“Give it back Wynonna!”

“Nope!”

Wynonna pressed her palm into Nicole’s face pushing her back into the couch and bolted for the stairs. Nicole threw herself at Wynonna wrapping her arms around the older Earp's legs making them both tumble to the floor with a thud, flailing around on the hardwood. 

Wynonna grunted, “Get off of me!”

“Give it back!”

“No way!”

Wynonna kicked free of Nicole's grip and army crawled towards the entry. Nicole scrambled after grabbing onto Wynonna's belt dragging her back. She managed to climb over Wynonna pinning her to the floor and yanked the phone from her hand. Wynonna growled in frustration, rolling over, and bucking Nicole off onto the floor beside her where they both lay, out of breath.

“I touched your boob," Wynonna said between breaths, "it was nice.” 

Nicole rolled her eyes before looking down at her phone.

NICOLE: aksljsk

She slugged Wynonna’s shoulder. “You’re an idiot.”

“Oouch!” Wynonna threw up her elbow hitting Nicole's eye.

“Shit! Wynonna!” The pain was instantaneous and felt like it borrowed to the back of her skull in a dull throb. 

Her phone chimed again, she peaked at it with her good eye, the other eye blurry and useless.

WAVERLY: huh?

Nicole grunted angrily, scrambling over to Wynonna’s jacket and pulled her close hitting her in the ribs. The thumping of elbows and knees on the wood floor, flying checkers, and painfilled grunts filled the room. Nicole grabbed fistfuls of Wynonna's jacket jerking her around. Wynonna pressed her feet into Nicole's stomach to get free. 

Nicole climbed over Wynonna's straddling her stomach and pinned her arms down as hard as could. She gathered all the spit in her mouth and let is slowly drip towards Wynonna's face in a thick string before sucking it back into her mouth. Wynonna jerked her head back in forth trying to get away as Nicole did it again. 

"You're disgusting get off!" 

Nicole grinned almost letting the spit hit Wynonna's cheek. _Serve_ her right she thought. Wynonna used to do this to her all the time in middle school. She learned it from Doc, who did to Xavier everytime he talked about The Tales of Black Badge comic books. 

“Jesus!” Waverly said “You two are like children. I leave for 5 minutes and this…?”

“She started it!” They said pointing at the other.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves. You’re acting like a big bunch of bratty babies.” She kneeled between them pulling them apart, neither of them putting up much of a fight, “Now apologize to each other right now.”

“Yes mom.” Wynonna snipped. Waverly shot her a dirty look. She rolled her eyes. “Okay. Sorry.”

“Sorry” Nicole mumbled.

Smiling, Waverly wrapped her arms around the both of them smooshing their cheeks together. 

“Okay Waves, that’s enough.” Nicole tried to wiggle free, but Waverly’s embrace was snug. She kissed her sister and her girlfriend on their foreheads before releasing them. “See isn’t that nice?”

Wynonna nodded with a crooked smile, before reaching over smacking Nicole in the face. Nicole took a fist full of Wynonna’s jacket climbed over her shoving her into the side of the coffee table, Wynonna smacked her again. 

“Asshole!” Wynonna hollered.

“What is your problem?” Nicole said.

Wynonna sat up shoving Nicole backward on to the floor, Nicole catching herself on her elbows.“You’re my problem.”

“What?”

It dawned on her, Wynonna wasn’t mad at her for dating her baby sister. Wynonna was the one who encouraged her to go after Waverly. Wynonna was the one who told her Waverly loved her back. Wynonna was mad about something else, feeling hurt, left out maybe. Nicole thought back to last night standing in the kitchen making root beer floats. Waverly asked Wynonna to join them and she grunted, but when Nicole asked- -

“Enough!” Waverly yelled interrupting Nicole’s thought. “You two need to spend more time together to remind you that you are best friends who love each other. I think it's time you go on a friggen friend date or something and makeup!” 

Wynonna wasn’t mad that she was dating Waverly, she was mad because Nicole wasn't paying attention to her once she _started_ dating Waverly. Wynonna missed her, she’d never admit it, but that’s what all the sad puppy dog eyes were about, that’s why Wynonna yanked her phone from her hand when she was texting Waverly, she was jealous.

“You’re graduating next week so grow up!” Waverly continued. She threw her arms up in the air with disillusionment walking out of the room. They both groaned.

The feeling of guilt bubbling over into Nicole’s throat created a throbbing lump. She wanted to do something crazy, something Wynonna would never do, something that Nicole would never consider, but she did it anyway. Nicole threw her arms around Wynonna and pulled her tight.

“Ah! Nicole! What are doing geh-off me.”

Wynonna pressed her arms into Nicole’s sides trying to escape her embrace, but Nicole only squeezed her tighter so that she couldn’t wriggle free. Wynonna let out a big sigh finally relaxing into Nicole’s arms, giving into Nicole’s unspoken apology. 

“I missed you Wynonna.”

“Don’t make this weird.” 

Nicole smiled, loosening her grip. Wynonna didn’t move, she sat leaned up against Nicole, content for the moment. " Don't speak of this to anyone.”

“Dito.” 

Wynonna sat up straight again with a crooked smile and shrugged. “Although, a friend date wouldn’t be _so_ bad.”

“Yeah we are definitely not calling it that.” Nicole gave Wynonna one last playful nudge.

***

"Are you sure you want to be a juvenile parole officer?"

Wynonna fiddled with the a/c controls, the air was hot and dry. Nicole could feel the sweat accumulate on her forehead, she was resisting the urge to wipe it on her St. Patricks day baseball-Tee. She had offered to drive her car, which had a/c, but Wynonna insisted on taking her pickup truck. "Come on you stupid piece of...."

The a/c was finicky, one of the many corks of Wynonna's blue and white pickup truck. After smacking the console a few times Wynonna gave up and cracked the windows instead. "Yeah pretty sure," she said.

Wynonna had been in juvie 4 times between the ages of 14 and 17. It would have been more if Nedley, for some unbeknownst reason, hadn't helped her out. Nicole had known she wanted to be a cop since day one, but Wynonna, this was the first time Nicole was hearing about her career goals. Nicole was relieved that Wynonna wisened up enough to stay out of trouble, considering that she would be treated as an adult now, but Nicole always pictured her working at Shorties or working as a forest ranger with Doc. 

Nicole dangled her arm out the window letting the wind channel up her sleeve wicking away some of the sweat clinging to her skin, "God help the person who gives Wynonna Earp a badge."

"And a gun." Wynonna added rolling her window down a little further. The long spirals of her hair whipped sharply a crossed her face.

Nicole flinched shaking her head. "that too." They played cops and robbers countless times as kids, Wynonna always chose to be the robber. She liked the bad guys more because they didn't follow the rules and said they had more fun. In the summer they'd be equipped with squirt guns. It was all fun and games until Wynonna got the hot idea to put red food coloring in her squirt gun staining everyone's clothes. Gus scolded her for ruining Waverly's floral white sundress, 'but bad guys don't follow the rules' Wynonna said. 

"I want those baby delinquents to tremble in fear before me."

"That's not really how that works."

Wynonna shrugged. She turned off the highway into town, her truck roaring down the one main road Purgatory has, scanning the sides for a good parking place. She pulled up in front of The Ruckus Room, the ignition cut with a final sputter.

Nicole raised her eyebrows glancing over at Wynonna, her hand on the release button to her seat belt, "You know, underage drinking isn't really setting yourself up for success."

"Blah Blah have you met me future officer Nicole Haught?" Wynonna opened the door shifting, half hanging out "Whiskey and beer are the two major food groups. That's a fact look it up." she climbed out shutting the door.

"I"m just saying future..." the words caught in her throat rough and full of hesitation, "Office Wynonna Earp."

Wynonna grinned widely, maintaining her gaze through the window of the shut door. Nicole pushed the release, unbuckling her seatbelt and slid out of the truck. Wynonna had propped herself up against the hood looking either way down the street. Nicole tried to imagine her as a cop, Wynonna in a uniform. She does drink a lot of coffee and has the vocabulary of a retired sailor, maybe she could be an undercover cop, that could be believable.

Nicole reached in her pocket for her cell phone. Waverly had messaged.

WAVERLY: Hey baby! Hope you're friend date is going well.

Wynonna folder her arms kicking at the sidewalk with her chucks "Dude. No girlfriends right now remember?"

Nicole sighed sliding her phone back into her pocket. Wynonna and Waverly were both right. Nicole needed to spend time with her best friend. They had been inseparable since day one. Nicole moved to Purgatory when she was five. She never really had many friends at her old house. 

__

It was summer and her dad was barbequing on the front porch. Nicole was sitting in the grass hunting for four-leaf clovers and wasn't having any luck. She plucked up a three-leaf clover and threw it aside. Wynonna had been playing down the street at Chrissy's. She walked over to Nicole soaking wet from the Nedley's swimming pool, making a wet trail of Wynonna sized footprints along the sidewalk. 

__

"What are you doing?" She said

__

Nicole looked up frowning with a regular old three-leaf clover between her fingers, "I'm looking for four-leaf clovers." 

__

Wynonn'as face scrunched up and she shook her head, "Why?" 

__

Nicole shrugged. She had always looked for four-leaf clovers, it was something to do to pass the time, "They're supposed to be lucky." 

__

"What do you need luck for?"

__

Nicole shrugged again staring down at the clover in the palm of her hand. Wynonna grabbed it from her and ripped the middle leaf in half, she held it out to Nicole by the stem proudly, "Four leaves." 

__

_Nicole starred at her with her mouth open._

"Spider!" Wynonna let out a high pitched scream shaking Nicole out of her daydream. She waved her arms around every which way, clawing at her back "Haught get it off me! Get it off me!"

Nicole burst out laughing "Hold still" she swats at Wynonna's arm at the suspected spider "there." 

"Is it gone?" 

Nicole shrugged holding her breath trying not to laugh again. Wynonna gave her shirt a once over and nodded "Let's do this." 

Nicole stuffed her hands in her pockets as she followed Wynonna down the street "tremble in fear before me" she mocked.

Wynonna glared at her lip slightly twitching at the corner. 

"I'm sorry we haven't talked all that much since you _know_ " Nicole shrugged her shoulders glancing over at Wynonna. "Waverly."

Wynonna snorted, looking at her reflection in the window front of Marcies Lingerie, she dragged her finger along the window ledge, "Don't make this weird again Haught shot." 

It was Purgatory on a Saturday, so the streets were busy full of people hustling down the sidewalk and cars filling the parking places. Nicole had to rock her shoulders, weaving through a group of girls walking past them. Wynonna sucked herself in avoiding as much contact as possible, bending awkwardly like their touch might set her on fire. 

"Look, you're my best friend, and I have always been there to support you, I was the first one to brag when you got to second base with Beth Gardener," 

"You were the only one bragging about that." Nicole mumbled.

Wynonna ignored her holding her hands out like a scale balancing out her thoughts "but Waverly's my baby sister."

She paused at the corner of Brother's Brew Tap house pointing her finger into Nicole's chest. "I trust you, Haught, just don't let her down okay?"

Nicole nodded reaching out her hand, Wynonna met it with her own in a binding shake. 

Nicole continued to follow Wynonna stepping over the guts of a tipped over trash can in the alley outside of the Tap House. Her nose wrinkled at the sharp sour smell thrusting up her nostrils. “Why is your go-to idea of fun, always getting drunk?” 

“Well do have a better idea?”

Nicole took in a deep breath letting it out slowly hoping something better would come to her, “I don’t know.”

“Come on Haught! What do _you_ want to do?”

Nicole slapped her hands to her face dragging them down over her chin trying to take her own advice. Underage drinking was not the decision a future cop should be making. They could do anything else, go to the Ruckus room, or the movies. 

Wynonna's face scrunched up “And if you say doing my sister I will smack you right a crossed the face.”

"I wasn't going to say that." That guilt bubbled over in her throat again, she shrugged with a lack of discernment “I guess this is fine.”

“I knew you’d come around Naughty Haughty.” Wynonna smacked Nicole's shoulder. She clicked her tongue against her teeth signaling Nicole to follow her further down the alley behind the Liquor Emporium.

"Alright you wait here and I'll bring back the goods." She gave a final wink before disappearing into the propped open back door of the liquor store, shutting it behind her.

Nicole sighed and nodded propping herself up against the wall. She slipped her phone out of her pocket again. Waverly was taking her own advice and spending time with Chrissy. 

NICOLE: Hey cutie, things are fine here, how is Chrissy?

WAVERLY: Good! We just sat down for our pedicures! :)

NICOLE: More rainbow toes? 

WAVERLY: LOL I was going to go with something more grown up this time.

Nicole was surprised by the sudden disappoint she felt over Waverly's rainbow toes. She had gotten weirdly attached to them. 

“Well look who it is. The girlfriend stealing ginger.” Nicole looked up from her phone, her stomach tightening in knots. Champ sauntered down the alley with three of his friends, one of them was B-Train, Nicole didn't recognize the other two, they both looked like they came straight out of an Abercrombie and Fitch catalog. She looked desperately in the other direction hoping to see Wynonna. 

Nicole tried to stand up tall, sounding confident, and not like a scared little girl trapped in an alley with four assholes “I didn’t steal Waverly. She’s not property.” The words came out more confident then she felt.

“Oh yeah. It won’t be long before she comes crawling back.”

Nicole snorted, “As if.” she inched her way back along the wall getting closer to nowhere. Her heart pulsing in her throat forming a hard lump.

“I have something that you don’t have.” He grabbed the crotch of his pants licking his lips wearing a big stupid grin on his face. The three cronies behind him chuckled along.

 _Gross_ Nicole’s stomach boiled, her teeth grinding together and fists clenched. Where is Wynonna when you need her.

"What are you doing down here all alone firecrotch?" Champ was creeping up on her slowly. Nicole had nowhere to run they were blocking her exit. Hurry up Wynonna. 

Champ backed Nicole up against the wall bracing his arms on either side of her. He looked down studying her face dropping one hand down to her hip. "I guess I can see why Waverly would like this." His hand slid up an inch over her hip catching the hem of her shirt with his thumb. Nicole's heart slammed against her chest, she was claustrophobic and downright pissed. 

Her adrenaline rush kicked into overdrive, balling up her fist tight she swung, closing her eyes at the alarming sting when she made contact. She hugged her throbbing hand against her stomach after absorbing the trauma, leaning back against the wall for support. 

“Dammit!” Champ recoiled cradling his jaw in his hand. “Stupid bitch!”

Nicole’s chest heaved, she tried to straighten herself back out, standing with her feet planted arms up ready for more. But Champ backed into his friends, hiding like a coward, still holding his chin. He looked over at B-Train and gave him a nod.

B-Train was taller than Champ, leaner too. He towered over Nicole. The corner of his mouth twisted into an apologetic smile before wiping clean of emotion. “Sorry."

The impact of his open hand sent her flying to the hard ground. She rolled over, her eyes unable to focus. The next blow was to the ribs forcing the air from her lungs, she lay rolling around gasping holding her body in a ball of misery. Champ stood snickering with the other two mystery douches on the sideline while B-Train drew back his leg again. Nicole tucked her elbows protectively over her abdomen, her muscles too tight to expand for air.

Glass and plastic shattered against the pavement behind her, “Hey!” Wynonna yelled. 

She ran hard into B-Train knocking him to the ground. He scrambled to get back to his feet, Wynonna threw him a kick to the shoulder tumbling him back down. Champ watched cow-eyed and jaw slack, momentarily frozen in place. One of his lackeys took off in the other direction. He shoved the other out in front. He was tall, not as tall as B-train, his face chiseled and hair perfectly styled. 

Wynonna grinned licking her lips daring the goon to come closer, "Come on, what do you got Ashton Kutcher?" He took a step forward Wynonna mimicked him adding a knee to the groin. His eyes slammed shut and he fell to his knees whimpering. Wynonna stood up proud her eyes burrowing a whole in Champs dumbstruck face, happily in her element. 

Nicole rolled over blinking rapidly trying to clear her vision. She pushed herself to her knees grabbing her side in pain, really wishing she was getting her toenails painted rainbow right now instead of fighting in an alleyway.

“What's the matter Champ? Afraid of a girl?" 

Wynonna didn't notice B-train making his way back to his feet, Champ held her attention. Nicole pushed herself up with a grunt wincing with every step. B-train had his hands reached out for Wynonna. Nicole picked up an aluminum trash can lid and swung it into B-trains back knocking him back to the ground, Nicole collapsed on her knees in a painful grunt. 

Wynonna looked over at Nicole wearing a crooked smile "Hardcore." Champs face tightened focusing on Wynonna and then to Nicole as he backed away around the corner.

Wynonna turned toward Nicole her face drooping and eyes glistening. “Nicole!” 

Wynonna slipped her arms under Nicoles lifting her the rest of the way to her feet sending shooting pains down Nicole's side. 

"we've got to skip a doodle out of here," Nicole said through gritted teeth. Champ was coming around the corner with more friends and a wild grin spread a crossed his face. 

"I"m coming for you bitches!" his feet picked up into a run extending his finger in their direction.

“That's cute, he brought more friends."

"3 to 1 is not really fair though is it?” Nicole said.

Wynonna shook her head "Nope." She pushed Nicole forward. "Run!"

Nicole was still dazed from her blow to the head. She wobbled in confusion turning around abruptly smashing into Wynonna's face with her nose, tears now streaming over her cheeks. "Son of a!" 

"The other way Haught! Run _away_ from the danger!" Wynonna spun Nicole the other direction yanking her by the collar of her shirt.

Wynonna stopped outside the door to the liquor emporium almost throwing Nicole to the ground with her momentum, "The booze!"

"Wynonna seriously? Just leave it" 

"No way!" 

She bent down scooping the alcohol back into the plastic bag cradling it in her arms.

The feet on pavement mixed with heavy breathing grew louder as Champ approached "There's nowhere for you to go Earp!" 

"Come one!" Nicole yelled grabbing Wynonna's arm pulling her through the narrow alleyway dodging garbage cans and empty supply crates. Nicole's head was swimming she could feel herself slowing down. She had been hit not once but twice in the face today and her ribs felt jagged, each heavy breath ripping into her side. Her eye was watering but there was something more, it was dark, only small holes of light reached her retina.

Nicole grabbed at her eye in a panic, "Wynonna I think I"m blind!" 

Wynonna looked back at Nicole her foot catching in a ratty tarp making her stumble forward, her legs moving faster to keep up with her body."You're not blind! Keep running." 

"But I can't see!" 

" You're not blind! You're just dramatic! " 

They booked it down the alleyway until they came slamming into a chain link fence blocking them from the street on the other side.

Nicole intertwined her fingers in the holes in the fence sizing it up with her good eye. "Well, what now?"

Wynonna look to Nicole, her eyebrows raised in a wild look.

Nicole had a flashback of Wynonna stealing a pair of underwear from a certain lingerie store, having to run down an alleyway, and climbing this exact fence to escape. The fence bit into Nicole tearing her sweater and the skin of her hip. Nicole shook her head.

"No nuh uh. Last time I tore my sweater!"

"Well that sweater was hideous anyways!"

Nicole grunted glaring at Wynonna. "Fine!"

"Okay quick you first."

Wynonna cradle her hands low enough for Nicole to slip her foot in and reach for the top of the fence. It dug into her hands as she gripped tighter pulling herself up and over the edge. Champ and his friends started to slow down as they got closer bending over trying to catch their breath before picking up the pace again.

\

Nicole reached out her hand to help hoist Wynonna up, straining against the weight of her. Nicole could feel the edges of the fence digging into her hip. She was definitely going to have a bruise. "Come on hurry up!" Wynonna struggled to climb with the grocery bag still cradle against her chest. She lifted her free hand up to Nicole holding out the bag while her feet scraped across the chain link to find a foothold.

"Take the booze!'

"Wynonna just leave it."

Wynonna danced against the fence impatiently her arm still holding up the grocery bag. Nicole knew she wouldn't leave it. This is what she came for and she wasn't going to go home empty-handed, "Okay fine." 

Nicole swung the bag over, holding Wynonna with one arm and straddling the fence. She let the bag fall from her grip as gently as she could on the other side before wrapping her other arm with Wynonna's lifting her to where she could grab the top of the fence. Nicole swung her other leg over grimacing at the sound of tearing fabric. She clenched her teeth dropping herself on the sidewalk. Sure enough, she had a tear on the hem of her special edition St. Patricks day Red Sox baseball tee. 

Wynonna dropped down beside her. Nicole scowled at her and punched her in the shoulder "Hey!" 

They took off down the street and around the corner to the car. They sat quietly for a moment finally getting the air that their lungs were desperately craving. Nicole became increasingly more aware of the knives in her ribs and the pounding headache smashing in her head. She reached up to her eye-wincing from the touch pulling her hand back slick with red hot blood. She bit her tongue wiping the blood away with the back of her sleeves so that she could see again. _I'm not blind._

“How’d you even get that?” Nicole said nodding at the grocery bag.

“Doc.” Wynonna grinned.

“Well, I guess he’s good for something.”

Wynonna punched Nicole in the shoulder. “Hey! He’s good for other stuff too.” 

“Mmhmm” Nicole closed her eyes and rolled her head back on the seat. “I need ice.”

"We have something better than ice." 

*********

Nicole laid flat on her back with her feet propped on the couch. Wynonna lay with her head on Nicole's stomach her legs stretched out the other direction.

"Did you see Champs stupid face?" Wynonna said. She poured beer into her mouth coughing a little as it went down, "It was like that one time you put toothpaste in his Oreos at lunch." 

NIcole laughed making Wynonna's head bounce, "Yeah well he lost pieces to Waverly's Polly pocket in the sandbox." 

"Ooh! What about that time Doc dared him that he couldn't eat 6 Warheads at a time and he threw up all over Mrs. Lucado's shoes!" Wynonna chortled, "What a shit ticket!"

"Are you and Doc back together or what?"

"We were never together."

Nicole rolled her eyes but didn't say anything. Wynonna tried to protect herself by pretending not to care. If she didn't care it didn't exist and it didn't hurt. Nicole could tell when she was hurting though, better than anyone. Even Waverly. 

" Besides Doc's been hanging out with _Kate_ " Wynonna said. 

"Whose Kate?"

"You know, Kate, his ex-girlfriend from like sophomore year?" 

"Oh right." 

Wynonna rolled over so that she was facing Nicole, "You know, one time _Doc_ let Kate bite him!"

"Bite him?"Nicole's face scrunched up straining her neck to see Wynonna's face.

"Yeah bite him!"

"Are you jealous?"

Wynonna snorted and rolled over into a sitting position leaning her back against the couch next to Nicole's legs. Nicole moved them over to make more room, "Doc can be bitten by whoever he wants. I am not jealous."

Nicole sat up tucking her knees against her chest, "It's okay if you are."

Wynonna rolled her eyes. She chugged the rest of her beer and grabbed another one ripping the lid off. Nicole could hear the beer forcing it's way down her throat, "She's just so stupid you know. And pretty. And stupid. And he's pretty. And stupid. It's just all stupid."

Nicole smirked. Wynonna rest her chin on her knees her brows knitted and her eyes glossy.

Nicole leaned in resting her hand on Wynonna's arm, "He loves you Wynonna."

Wynonna looked up her eyes a little brighter. She blinked and the brightness faded again, "Yeah how do you know that." 

"Because of the way he looks at you. Annd..."

“Oh my god, Nicole what happened.” Waverly rushed to Nicole's side kneeling and grabbed her face. Her hands examined the gash on Nicole's forehead, it was almost deep enough to need stitches. Nicole winced when Waverly’s fingers got too close. 

“I got punched in the face by a B-train.” Nicole said with a smile, not exactly the smile Waverly was looking for. Nicole looked over at Wynonna who was sharing the same smile. They both lifted their beer bottles, clinking them together “To B-Train.”

Waverly’s hands fell from Nicole’s face landing in her lap, scrunching her face, she gestured to the table of empty beers and a half-empty bottle of Jack “This is a lot of alcohol…this isn’t what I meant when I suggested you spend time together.” 

Wynonna sloshed her beer around in the air with a goofy grin on her face, her eyes dazed “B-Train can eat a dick!”

“Yeah and Champ!” Nicole said. 

“Champ?” Waverly’s posture straightened, and her eyes widened. 

Wynonna laughed and leaned closer to Nicole like she had a secret to share wiggling her eyebrow. “Champ can eat a whole bag of dicks.” They laughed harder leaning into each other.

Waverly looked back to the gash on Nicole’s forehead, the purple shadow underneath her eye. “This is really swollen; did you ice it?”

Wynonna handed Nicole another full beer with an unsteady hand guzzling down her own. “She’s been icing it all night, with an ice cold beer!” She guided the beer to Nicole's lips.

“Why would B-Train hit you?” Waverly said. She put her hand on Nicole’s shoulders to get her attention. 

“You know what,” Nicole said taking another sip of beer. No, several sips of beer, chugging the beer actually, then set the bottle down hard on the table with a sigh. “I think, yer pretty.” She plucked the sleeve of Waverly’s shirt.

“You are drunk.” 

“Yeah…an-I’m drunk.” 

“You’re a cute drunk at least,” Waverly said. She slipped Nicole’s beer out of her hand and moved it further down the table then did the same with Wynonna’s.

“Booo!” they both said. Wynonna stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry at Waverly with her thumb angled down in protest. "Moms here Nicole." 

“A little obnoxious” Waverly said wiping the spit from her forehead that her sister had just delivered, “But a cute drunk.”

Waverly dragged her drunk sister and her drunk girlfriend up the stairs. Nicole sat down in the hall while Waverly yanked her sister into bed. 

“Goodnight Wynonna”

"Goodnight Wynonna." Wynonna mocked. 

Waverly bent down to Nicole’s level. Nicole swayed even while sitting. Her eye was blurred from the blow to the head, the alcohol numbed the pain for now but tomorrow would be worse. 

“Now what I am going to do with you?”

“I have a few suggestions.” Nicole smirked.

Waverly snorted. She helped Nicole to her feet, sliding her arm around her waist. “Come on drunky. It’s time for bed.”

**Author's Note:**

> *I will use/used some direct quotes or variations of quotes from the TV series*  
> *The title is from the poem Auguries of Innocents by William Blake* 
> 
> A lot of the scenes were inspired by some of my favorite songs so hopefully, they flow together.


End file.
